'Setsubun' bean-throwing festival held across Japan

Don't these people have jobs? Throwing and catching beans...

Time to eat a long and fat maki, more importantly.

This year's lucky direction is SSE,by the way.

Amazing Japanese tradition!

When my oldest son was little I'd yell "Oni oni oni" and softly toss beans at him. To this day he asks me to do it.

Setsubun; Japan could make it into a homegrown Halloween type thang. But alas.....

A nice tradition, isn’t it? And when yearlycelebrating you’ll quickly get a consciousness about how fast your age counter ticks and that your luck obviously doesn’t depend on how many beans you throw or sushi rolls eat into the right (2023 SSW) direction.

The store was full of sushi rolls or maki for tonight.

Absolutely unique Japanese custom! Fantastic!

The ritual involves throwing roasted soybeans at people and children.

Last time I checked, children are people. Just smaller versions.

I see today was a day to rip off customers who were there to buy fatter norimakis.

Setsubun — Feb 3 — marks the day before the beginning of spring, 

give me a break winter hasn’t even started yet!!

Some very miserable posters/voters on this.

maki rolls started from ¥1,000 in our store.

Glad to see people getting their lifestyle back, goodbye COVID hello freedom .

My wife goes mental about a few crumbs on the kitchen floor , setsubun comes round and no bother destroying the house with beans everywhere just for some hocus pocus.

Sometime I wonder.

Price gouging much?

Overblown, yes. But gouging? I mean, it's not like anyone is forced to buy ehomaki at the store. For my family it's a tradition to make them ourselves (to be completely honest, it's 義理の母 who makes them herself and distributes them in the whole family, and she wouldn't have it any other way).

It's a nice tradition, both ehomaki and the bean throwing. Let people have fun I say.

it's just posters who aren't sycophants about everything Japanese

Of course. But there's also a community of expats in Japan that hates and rejects everything Japanese with a passion, to the point where I'm wondering why they are all still here if everything is so silly and stupid and horrible.

The ritual involves throwing roasted soybeans at people and children.

Aren't children people too?

Most nations have their traditions some of which are nonsensical but fun. Nothing wrong with a bit of daft fun; those complaining about throwing a few beans should try cheese rolling!

Yay! I love festivals where the participants have no idea really why they're doing it, and ones which waste a absolutely huge amount of edible food. Well done humanity. Common sense strikes again.

Of course. But there's also a community of expats in Japan that hates and rejects everything Japanese with a passion, to the point where I'm wondering why they are all still here if everything is so silly and stupid and horrible.

Absolutely. Agree with this, but maybe it's hard to leave.

I'd grown tired of Japan and so left. The 'we are so different and unique and sugoi' crowd had grated on me. There are things I miss, but not enough to return to live.

Enjoy setsubun all

Children will do all sorts of things to themselves. During the Throwing Beans Festival in Japan, have children been found to stuff their nostrils and their ears with soya beans?

If I ate the same number of beans as my age, I would be able to gas blast those pesky oni away.

“ Setsubun — Feb 3 — marks the day before the beginning of spring, according to the lunar calendar. The festival involves a ritual called mamemaki, traditionally intended to drive away the evil and disease of the former year. The ritual involves throwing roasted soybeans at people and children.

It is believed to bring good fortune if you eat the same number of soybeans as your age.

The festival is also celebrated in many homes. The father or the oldest man in the house plays the role of a demon, wearing a mask, while children throw soybeans at him shouting Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi (Demons out, good fortune in!)

Another traditional custom for Setsubun is to eat eho-maki (hand-rolled sushi) which is supposed to bring good luck. You eat an uncut sushi roll while facing the lucky direction of the year. This direction changes every year and is determined by the 12 Chinese zodiac symbols. “

..

Wonderful explanation, JT. Thank you.

Like ジョージ if I ate 82 beans I could blast many oni into oblivion.

I demand that the next UN conflict results in delegates throwing beans at each other.

piskianFeb. 3 04:59 pm JST

This year's lucky direction is SSE,by the way.

NOT currently in the SSE of the U.S....

Wesley has the best solution to international probems.

Beautiful Japan traditions..

GO JAPAN!!..

A four-year-old child choked to death at a childcare center in 2020 in Shimane Prefecture. The cause of death was suffocation due to one bean that got stuck in his throat. The bean was enlarged as it contained moisture from water.

It's sad to read about the 4 year old's death; Hopefully, the sadness from this death will cause more people to learn the "Heimlich maneuver" (sp). Perhaps if someone had realized that the boy was choking, his life could have been saved with the maneuver.

During the Throwing Beans Festival children may throw soya beans into their nostrils and ears. Those thrown in nostrils may descend into the lungs to impede breathing and, would require major surgery to remove the bean or beans. Those thrown into ears could get lost and, eventually cause the growth of a tumour.

What is Health Japan doing about these grave dangers of the Throwing Beans Festival?

What is Health Japan doing about these grave dangers of the Throwing Beans Festival?

Has that ever happened in the real world?

@Strangerland

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