“ Setsubun ”

The literal meaning of Setsubun is the dividing day of two seasons, but it commonly means nowadays the day between winter and spring season according to the lunar calendar, which falls on the 3rd of February this year.

“ Mamemaki ” or bean throwing

The main event of the Setsubun is bean throwing. On the evening of Setsubun, people open the windows of their houses and scatter roasted soy beans while shouting,

“ Demons out !  Fortune in ! ” 

I t is a ceremony to ward off plagues and natural disasters.

 People hang a burnt head of sardine skewered with a holly branch at the entrances or under the eaves of their houses. It is designed to keep off the evil spirits by bad smell of fish burning.