Setsubun no Hi

Although not a national holiday, Setsubun is widely celebrated in Japan. Depending on the Japanese Lunar Calendar, Setsubun falls on February 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.  This year, it falls on the 2nd.  The name means the Eve of the Beginning of Spring. I lived in Hokkaido when I first heard about Setsubun, and I thought this was a crazy name for something at the beginning of February. See this post.

Typically, (especially in homes with children) someone dresses up like the oni (demon), or wears a paper mask like the one in the picture above. Others throw roasted beans at the demon, while chanting, Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! (Demons out! Good fortune in!) People also eat the number of beans that corresponds with the person’s age. This is not so difficult if you are ten years old, but when you are my age, well, that is a lot of beans.

Another tradition on Setsubun is to eat eho-maki, a long sushi roll with a variety of fillings. Some people make their own, but grocery and convenience stores sell them, if you are not inclined to make your own. For good luck, you need to eat the whole thing in silence, facing the direction of the year.  The lucky direction for 2025 is west-southwest.

Best of luck to you this year!