What’s so lucky about the humble soybean? You can throw it (or a whole…
What’s so lucky about the humble soybean? You can throw it (or a whole handful) for good fortune! On February 3, Japan celebrates Setsubun (節分), a holiday that bids farewell to winter and welcomes spring. Find out how soybeans and sardines can expel the demons from the past year and purify you for the new one.
Setsubun pairs well with other traditions that wish for a better year than the last, like New Year’s resolutions and spring cleaning. Try adding Japanese language learning to your new year with the Rosetta Stone app, where you can learn Japanese at home, in school, or on the go.
Table of Contents
What is Setsubun and how is it celebrated?
Setsubun (節分) is an annual Japanese holiday on February 3 where oni (鬼, demons/ogres) are expelled by throwing roasted soybeans out the front door or at someone (like a family member) dressed up as the big bad demon. That’s why it’s also known as the Japanese bean-throwing festival. Symbolically, this drives out bad luck from the last year and brings in good fortune. As the beans are thrown, you shout:
- Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!（鬼は外！福は内！）= Demons out! Fortune in!
When is Setsubun?
The name Setsubun literally means “seasonal division,” and that’s exactly what the holiday was before the Gregorian calendar was adopted. Nowadays, the months of the year in Japanese are numbered: January is “Month 1,” February is “Month 2,” and so on. On the old Japanese luni-solar calendar, a year was segmented into 24 “solar terms”(nijuushi sekki, 二十四節気), or six periods of 15 to 16 days within each of the four seasons. Each of the seasons technically has its own Setsubun, but only the one at the beginning of the calendar is still observed with any regularity.
The Setsubun holiday celebrated today falls on the eve of Risshun (立春), or the beginning of spring (which is different than the Vernal Equinox). Its proximity to the Lunar New Year (between late January and early February) means traditions and celebrations sometimes overlap.
History of Setsubun
The earliest traces of the Setsubun holiday can be seen in Chinese exorcism rituals introduced to Japan during the Nara Period (710-794 A.D.). The first time the ritual was performed was in 706 A.D. (according to the ancient text Shoku Nihongi), but the Heian Imperial Court subsequently adopted it and called it tsuina (追儺).
In the Muromachi Period (1336-1573 A.D.), the modern traditions of Setsubun started to take shape. The upper classes of Japanese society began the tradition of bean throwing (mamemaki, 豆撒き) based on an old legend from the 10th century. The story goes that a Buddhist monk repelled a demon that appeared on Mt. Kurama in Kyoto by throwing soybeans at its eyes.
Over time, the tradition was picked up by all levels of Japanese society. By the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867 A.D.), tsuina had shifted from being an Imperial Court exorcism to a nationwide ritual held at Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, and Japanese homes.
Setsubun traditions to experience
Experiencing Japanese holidays means observing the traditions. Whether you’re at home, at a community event, or in Japan, you can celebrate Setsubun your way.
Throw beans to ward off evil
The most famous Setsubun tradition is to throw beans at oni (or at least someone dressed like one) in a mamemaki (bean throwing) ritual. Traditionally, this is done at night.
- Get some roasted soybeans from a local Setsubun celebration or store (like convenience stores).
- Take a handful and throw them either out your front door, windows, or at someone playing the part of the demon.
- Shout, “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” or “Demons out! Fortune in!”
Although it’s a short ritual, it’s undeniably fun for both kids and adults. For someone just learning how to speak Japanese, shouting new Japanese phrases as you pelt a willing volunteer with legumes is more entertaining than going through flashcards.
Impale a sardine head on a stick
If roasted soybeans aren’t enough, you can always defend your home from oni by offending their sense of smell with a sardine head skewered on a branch of holly. Called hiiragi iwashi (柊鰯, holly and sardine), these wards affixed by the front door of the house are said to repel demons because demons hate the stink of grilled sardines and don’t want to be pricked by holly leaves. If you can stand the smell and threatening leaves yourself, hiiragi iwashi will protect your home for the coming year.
Eat traditional foods
No Japanese holiday is complete without traditional Japanese food, and Setsubun is no exception. Try these foods on February 3:
- Fukumame (福豆): Roasted soybeans are the star of the show on Setsubun. Even though they’re used to ward off the “demon” of the day, they also make a tasty snack.
- Ehōmaki (恵方巻): Ehōmaki are long sushi rolls with seven fillings (to represent the Seven Deities of Good Fortune), and they’re easy to make at home with your favorite ingredients. Make sure to eat it like a burrito rather than cutting it into segments, as that will cut off your good luck!
- Grilled salted sardines: In addition to warding off demons by impaling a sardine head by your doorstep, you can also eat grilled sardines, which give off a smell demons are said to dislike.
- Fukucha (福茶): Wash down your food with some lucky tea, made with the holiday’s roasted soybeans, plum, and konbu (昆布, kelp).
Visit a Japanese festival
If you want to experience all of these traditions at once, look around for Japanese festivals (matsuri, 祭) celebrating Setsubun. At matsuri, you can find a number of activities beyond those centered around the holiday:
- Street foods and drinks
- Festival games
- Seasonal decorations
Festivals are held both during the day and at night at many shrines and temples, regardless of size. If you’re already out and about on February 2-4, you have a good chance of stumbling across at least one public Setsubun festival.
Where to go for Setsubun
Although Setsubun is celebrated all over Japan (and in Japanese communities all over the world), some temples and shrines have especially unique traditions that are worth seeing.
Naritasan Shinshō-ji Temple (成田山新勝寺)
Just a short train ride away from Narita International Airport, the Buddhist temple Naritasan Shinsho-ji holds one of Japan’s most famous Setsubun celebrations. Celebrities (e.g., sumo wrestlers) are often invited to throw the beans before a huge crowd. However, you don’t need to shout “Oni wa soto! (Demons out!)” here. The influence of the Buddhist guardian deity of the temple, Acala, is so great that even demons will change their ways, so you only need to shout “Fuku wa uchi! (Fortune in!)”
Kasuga Taisha Shrine (春日大社)
Located in Nara prefecture just west of Osaka, Kasuga Taisha is a Shinto shrine that lights up with over 3,000 brass and stone lanterns for Setsubun Mantōrō (節分万燈籠) every year. Mantōrō means “10,000 lanterns” and, even though that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, it gives you a glimpse at how the shrine may have looked hundreds of years ago. The majority of the lanterns are gifts and donations from the past 800 years!
О̄moto Setsubun Grand Festival (大本節分大祭)
О̄moto is a Shinto-based new religion in Japan, founded in 1892, and its largest festival is on Setsubun. On February 3rd, thousands of visitors gather on the Yura River in the city of Ayabe (in Kyoto Prefecture) to set person-shaped cutouts floating on the water. The founder of the О̄moto faith is said to have been possessed by a god that was outcast as a “demon god,” so the traditional chant is switched up to “Demons in!” instead of “Demons out!”
Frequently asked questions about Setsubun
Still curious about Setsubun? As you learn Japanese, find out what other people have been wondering with these frequently asked questions.
1. What is the holiday on February 3 in Japan?
In Japan, February 3 is Setsubun, which means “seasonal division.” It traditionally separates winter from spring (on the lunar calendar), and it was historically tied to the Lunar New Year. However, with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, February 3 became the day that Setsubun is celebrated nationally (although you may still find celebrations on February 2 or 4).
2. Why is Setsubun celebrated?
Originally, Setsubun was celebrated in close proximity to New Year’s to welcome the coming of spring and wish for good fortune. Although there’s more than a month separating the two holidays on the modern calendar, Setsubun is still a seasonal ritual with the same intentions.
3. How many beans do you eat on Setsubun?
Each person should eat the number of roasted soybeans that equates to their age plus one extra for good luck over the next year. If you’re 30 years old, you would eat 31 beans; if you’re 11 years old, you would eat 12 beans; and so on.
4. Why do you throw beans at oni (demons)?
The Setsubun tradition of throwing roasted soybeans at demons is said to drive off evil and usher in good fortune, but why beans? The Japanese word for “bean” is mame (豆), which is a homophone for “demon’s eyes” (mame, 魔目). That linguistic connection inspired the tradition to throw beans at demons for good luck.
5. Is Setsubun Buddhist or Shintō?
Setsubun mixes a bit of both Buddhist and Shintō traditions. The associated demon-warding rituals migrated to Japan from China alongside Buddhism, but once Setsubun took root in Japanese culture, it was influenced by local customs and Shintōism. Today, Buddhist temples and Shintō shrines both hold Setsubun rituals.
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