Today I celebrated "Setsubun". It is a very traditional Japanese holiday that lands on the day between two seasons. So, I guess that would be winter and spring. Although since it hasn't gotten above 10 degrees celsius in weeks, I don't know if you can really call it spring...
Anyways, on the night of Setsubun you throw soy beans! The bean throwing is called "mamemaki" ("mame" means bean). You stand inside your house and throw beans outside the door or window and say, "Oni wa soto", which means "devils outside", then you throw them inside (this would drive my mother crazy) and say "fuku wa uchi", which means "good luck in the house". Obviously, you want the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. The Japanese just found a fun way to do it!
It was really entertaining for me since I got to participate with my Japanese friend's three young boys. Her husband wore an Oni mask and growled at them from outside while the two older boys pelted him with soy beans. It was the baby's first Setsubun and wasn't quite sure if the monster should be messed with. So cute! Afterwards you eat the same number of beans as your age. This is also supposed to bring you good luck. Thank goodness for sugar coated soy beans because eating one bland soy bean is enough, let alone 22.
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