Setsubun

Setsubun(節分)is the day before the beginning ofspringin theold calendarinJapan.The name literally means 'seasonal division', referring to the day just before the first day of spring in the traditional calendar, known asSetsubun; though previously referring to a wider range of possible dates,Setsubunis now typically held on February 3 (in 2021 and 2025 it was on 2nd February),with the day after – the first day of spring in the old calendar – known asRisshun(立春). BothSetsubunandRisshunare celebrated yearly as part of the Spring Festival (Haru matsuri(春祭)) in Japan.Setsubunwas accompanied by a number ofritualsand traditions held at various levels to drive away the previous year's bad fortunes andevil spiritsfor the year to come.
Setsubunhas its origins intsuina(追儺), a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the 8th century.It was quite different from theSetsubunknown today. According to the Japanese history bookShoku Nihongi,tsuinawas first held in Japan in 706, and it was an event to ward off evil spirits held at the court on the last day of the year according to thelunar-solar calendar. At that time,tsuinawas an event to drive away evil spirits that brought misfortune and disease by decorating each gate of the palace with clay figures of cows and children and using peach branches and walking sticks.
The custom ofSetsubunas we know it today began in theMuromachi period(1336–1573). Every household of the aristocracy andsamuraiclass threw beans from their houses into the open air. TheAinōshō,a dictionary compiled during the Muromachi period, states that the practice of bean-throwing duringSetsubunoriginated from a legend in the 10th century, during the reign ofEmperor Uda, that a monk onMt. Kuramaescaped misfortune by blindingoniwith roasted beans. The Japanese word for bean,豆, is pronouncedmame, which can be written as'devil's eye'(魔目), and some believe that the pronunciation is similar to that ofmametsu(魔滅), meaning 'to destroy the devil', which is why people began throwing beans duringSetsubun.
From theEdo period(1603–1867), the custom of throwing beans atShinto shrines,Buddhist temples, and homes of ordinary people spread throughout Japan as an event or festival to drive away evil spirits duringSetsubun. It was also during this period that the custom of tying roasted sardine heads tohollysprig to decorate the gates of houses duringSetsubunbegan. This custom was intended to scare awayoniwith the thorns of the holly leaves and the smell of the roasted sardines. The original form of this custom is recorded in theTosa Nikki, compiled in 934 during theHeian period(794–1185). The diary describes aShintoshimenawa(sacred rope) that was hung on the gate of a house during the New Year's holiday to mark the boundary of purification, and that amullethead pierced with a sprig of holly was attached to theshimenawa.
The custom of eatingehōmaki(恵方巻)onSetsubunbegan in thegeishadistricts from theEdo periodto theMeiji period.Ehōmakiis a specialmakizushi(sushiroll) eaten onSetsubun. OnSetsubun, people face the most auspicious direction of the year and eat the wholeehōmaki, an uncut sushi roll, to pray for prosperity and happiness for the year. It is believed that it was originally called simplymarukaburi zushi(丸かぶり寿司)orfutomaki zushi(太巻き寿司). The nameehōmakimay have spread throughout Japan in 1989, when a Japanese convenience store chain renamed itehōmakiand began selling it.
The main ritual associated with the observance ofSetsubunismamemaki(豆撒き,'bean scattering'); this ritual sees roastedsoybeans(known asfukumame(福豆,'fortune beans')) either thrown out of the front door, or at a member of the family wearing anoni(demonorogre) mask while shouting'Devils out! Fortune in!'(鬼は外! 福は内!,Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!),before slamming the door.The beans are thought to symbolicallypurifythe home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them. Then, as part of bringingluckin, it is customary to eat roastedsoybeans, one for each year of one's life (kazoedoshi), plus one more for bringing good luck for the year.
The custom ofmamemakifirst appeared in theMuromachi period,and is usually performed by either a man of the household born in the correspondingzodiacyear for the new year (toshiotoko(年男)), or else the male head of the household.
BecauseWatanabe no Tsuna, a retainer ofMinamoto no Yorimitsuduring the Heian period (794–1185), is associated with the legend that he vanquishedonihistorically considered to be the strongest, such asShuten-dojiandIbaraki-doji, there is a tradition thatonistay away from people namedWatanabeand their houses. For this reason, some families with the surname Watanabe have not practiced the custom of throwing beans on Setsubun for generations.Watanabe no Tsuna was the first person to take the surname Watanabe, and Watanabe is the fifth most common surname in Japan, with approximately 1.08 million people as of 2017.
Though still a somewhat common practice in households, many people will also or instead attend a shrine or temple's spring festival, where the practice ofmamemakiis performed;in some areas, such asKyoto, this involves a dance performed byapprentice geisha, after which the apprentices themselves throw packets of roasted soybeans to the crowds. In other areas, priests and invited guests throw packets of roasted soybeans, some wrapped in gold or silver foil, small envelopes with money, sweets, candies and other prizes. In some bigger and more central shrines, celebrities andsumowrestlers are invited to celebrations, usually toSetsubunevents that are televised.AtSensō-jiin theAsakusaneighborhood of Tokyo, crowds of nearly 100,000 people attend the annual festivities.
A number of other, in some cases more esoteric practices exist surrounding the celebration and observance ofSetsubun; some are regional, such as theKansaiarea tradition of eating uncutmakizushirolls, known asehō-maki(恵方巻,'lucky direction roll'), in silence whilst facing the year's lucky compass direction as determined by the zodiac symbol of that year.Though the custom originated inOsaka, it has since spread, due largely to marketing efforts by grocery and convenience stores.
Other practices include the putting up of small decorations ofsardineheads and holly leaves(柊鰯,hiiragi iwashi)at the entrance to a house to ward off evil spirits.A special variety ofsakeknown asshōgazake(生姜酒)brewed with ginger is also customarily drunk onSetsubun. Each region of Japan has its own lucky charms to eat onSetsubun. Soybeans used formamemakiandsobaare the most common, butpeanutsin theHokkaidoandTōhoku region,kenchin-jiruandshimotsukarein theKanto region, tea withkelpand sardines inKansai region,konjacinShikoku region,sea cucumberin theOki Islands, andwhalein theSan'in regionare also eaten.
The new year was felt to be a time when the spirit world became close to the physical world, thus the need to performmamemakito drive away anywandering spiritsthat might happen too close to one's home. Other customs during this time includedreligious dances,festivals, and bringing tools inside the house that might normally be left outside, to prevent the spirits from harming them. Rice cakes were also balanced on lintels and windowsills.
BecauseSetsubunis considered to be a day set apart from the rest of the year, a tradition of role reversal in appearance and dress was also practiced; such customs included girls wearing thehairstylesof older women and vice versa, wearing disguises, andcross-dressing. This custom is still practiced amonggeishaand their clients when entertaining onSetsubun.
Traveling entertainers(旅芸人,tabi geinin), who were normally shunned during the year because they were consideredvagrants, were welcomed onSetsubunto performmoralityplays. Their vagrancy worked to their advantage in these cases, as they were considered to take evil spirits with them.
In theTōhokuarea of Japan, the head of the household (traditionally the father) would take roasted beans in his hand, pray at thefamily shrine, and then toss the sanctified beans out the door.Peanuts (either raw or coated in a sweet, crunchy batter) are sometimes used in place of soybeans.
There are many variations on the famous"Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi!"chant. For example, in the city ofAizuwakamatsu, people chantOni no medama buttsubuse!(鬼の目玉ぶっつぶせ！,'Blind the demons' eyes!')