Today is Setsubun, a festival marking the beginning of spring on the Japanese Lunar Calendar. There have been reminders of Setsubun in all the supermarkets recently, as ‘devil masks’ and soybeans have appeared on the sales racks.
Why devil masks and soybeans? It’s part of the ritual of casting out the devil and welcoming only happiness for the lunar New Year (Spring). Kids (or parents) wear demon masks while throwing the beans around their house (or at a temple or shrine), chanting, “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!”, which means “Devils get out! Happiness come in!”.
Maybe tonight I’ll have to pick up some soybeans and a mask!
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