Today in Japan is Setsubun, the day before the beginning of Spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. On this day in shrines across Japan, they celebrate by performing a ritual called Mamemaki, or the "Bean-Throwing Ceremony"
Mamemaki is a ritual to drive out the harmful demons that bring bad luck and bad health to purify the home. It used to performed at each families home but nowadays it's only done at shrines. The ritual is performed by the person who was born on the Zodiac of the year (this year it's Year of the Dragons, like me ^^). They throw the beans at another person wearing a demon mask calling "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" (Demon out! Luck in!) The beans are thought to bring good luck, as beans (Mame) is the same word for faith or diligence.
Then you eat the number of roasted for you age and then one more for the coming year. They taste kind of like half popped popcorn kernels (minus the butter) and are pretty good. So put an oni mask on your siblings and throw beans at them so that you may have good luck
【豆まき】 Mamemaki
Today in Japan is Setsubun, the day before the beginning of Spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. On this day in shrines across Japan, they celebrate by performing a ritual called Mamemaki, or the "Bean-Throwing Ceremony"
Mamemaki is a ritual to drive out the harmful demons that bring bad luck and bad health to purify the home. It used to performed at each families home but nowadays it's only done at shrines. The ritual is performed by the person who was born on the Zodiac of the year (this year it's Year of the Dragons, like me ^^). They throw the beans at another person wearing a demon mask calling "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" (Demon out! Luck in!) The beans are thought to bring good luck, as beans (Mame) is the same word for faith or diligence.
Then you eat the number of roasted for you age and then one more for the coming year. They taste kind of like half popped popcorn kernels (minus the butter) and are pretty good. So put an oni mask on your siblings and throw beans at them so that you may have good luck