Bean-Throwing on Setsubun

February 3rd (or 4th) is "Setsubun." "Setsubun" literally means, "seasonal division." In the Japanese lunar calendar, the first day of each of the four seasons was called, "risshun, rikka, risshu, and rittou". The day before the first day of each season used to be called "setsubun." Today, "setsubun" indicates only the day before the first day of spring (risshun), since it was considered to be the beginning of a New Year in the old calendar.


On setsubun there is special ritual called, "mamemaki (bean-throwing)" to expel demons and invite fortune. I enjoyed doing mamemaki when I was little. We opened the windows of the house at night and my mom threw roasted soybeans saying "Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi (Get out Ogre! Come in Happiness!)." After mamemaki, we'd eat one soybean for each we'd been alive. By doing so, it is believed people won't get sick during the year. When I was a child I wished I could eat more beans than my age, but now I have to eat too many!

Japanese Translation

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Romaji Translation

Nigatsu mikka (toshi ni yotte wa yokka)wa, setsubun desu. Setsubun towa, kisetsu no wakareme to iu imi desu.

Kyuureki dewa, shiki no hajime no hi o sorezore, "risshun, rikka, risshuu, rittou" to yonde imashita. Setsubun wa korera no hi no zenjitsu o sashite imashita. Furui koyomi dewa, risshun ga atarashii toshi no hajimari to kangaerareteita tame, nochi ni, risshun no zenjitsu dake o tokubetsuni setsubun to yobu youni narimashita. Setsubun no hi niwa, yaku o haratte fuku o yobikomu tameni, mamemaki o suru shuukan ga arimasu. Kodomo no toki niwa, mamemaki o suru no ga tanoshimi deshita. Yoru ni ie no mado o akete, haha ga "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" to iinagara, irimame o nageru no desu. Mamemaki no ato niwa, jibun no toshi no kazu dake mame o tabemasu. Sou sureba, sono ichinen byouki ni naranai to iwarete iru kara desu. Chiisai toki niwa, motto ippai mame o tabetai naa to omotta mono desu ga, ima dewa takusan sugiru hodo tabenakereba narimasen.

Note: The translation is not always literal.

Beginner's Phrases

I enjoyed doing mamemaki when I was little.

• Kodomo no toki niwa, mamemaki o suru no ga tanoshimi deshita.
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