This year, February 3, 2024 is Setsubun Day.
Setsubun is the day before the first day of spring.
Risshun is the day when spring begins on the calendar.
In the past, Japan used the lunar calendar.
Setsubun is the boundary between winter and spring in the lunar calendar.
The kanji for Setsubun'' aresetsu”, which means season, and “bun”, which means boundary.
In the lunar calendar, the length of the month was determined by the waxing and waning of the moon, but because seasonal shifts are unavoidable, the seasons are now determined by the movement of the sun as seen from the earth. Therefore, the date of Setsubun may vary slightly from year to year.
Japan has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and each of these is further divided into six seasons, and the 24 solar terms are determined by the movement of the sun.
One of those milestones is Setsubun.
During Setsubun, mame-throwing'' is the main event. Events are held at shrines as shown in this video. Although some temples also hold bean-throwing events, not all shrines and temples hold bean-throwing events. In addition, in general, it is aimed at the demon role wearing the demon mask in each household. Throw roasted beans to exterminate demons. When throwing beans, say out loud,Oni goes outside, good luck goes inside.”
In the old days, it was believed that all bad things such as illness and disasters were the work of demons, and the custom of throwing roasted beans, which was said to be effective against demons, became widespread.
One theory says that the reason why roasted beans are used is that in ancient times, a deity told a demon who ate humans, saying, “If these beans sprout, you can eat humans, but if you eat humans before they sprout, you will be punished.” I gave it to The demon sows the beans he received from the deity, but no matter how long he waits, no buds appear. There is an old story that says that this is because the beans were already roasted. It is said that this is why roasted beans were used for Setsubun’s bean throwing.
Additionally, in general, bean-throwing is often done in each household, and if you throw beans at the masked demon character to drive him out, then eat the same number of beans as your age, and you will be healthy for a year. There is a legend that you can spend your time there.
Some people have to eat so much that their mouth becomes dry.
For those who find it difficult, you can boil the beans and drink it as a tea.