tagged w/ setsubun
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Setsubun is an old Japanese tradition going back to the Heian Period (794-1192) where Japanese drive bad luck or evil out of their homes by throwing beans.
The evil is represented by devils called Oni and often fathers will don an oni costume so their kids can pelt them with beans - ouch! In America, dads dress up like Santa Claus and get milk&cookies for their troubles!
At temples and shrines, they do a mame-maki where they throw beans and other things to gathering crowds. People go crazy trying to catch these beans.
Setsubun is one of my favorite Japanese traditional events and for the last 4-5 years I have always gone somewhere to celebrate it. This year I started Setsubun a few days earlier by going to the small neighborhood of Shimokitazawa where they had the Tengu Matsuri. Tengu is a long nose goblin who protects the area.
On Setsubun I went to 4 places in and around Tokyo - Narita, Kanda Myojin Shrine, Hosen-ji Temple in Nakano, and Ashikaga in Tochigi. I saw sumo champions, Japanese celebrities, samurai, J-Pop stars, and fighting Buddhist monks.
I recorded the vlog part of the video around 3 in the morning because I had to catch a really early flight from Haneda to Hokkaido so I'm speaking low so as not to wake my neighbors. Plus I was tired!Setsubun is an old Japanese tradition going back to the Heian Period (794-1192) where... more
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This February 3rd on Setsubun, the Japanese version of Groundhog Day where Japanese drive away evils, bad luck, and Winter. a sudden snowstorm hit Tokyo in the wee hours mucking up train schedules, flights, and traffic. The work of devils seeking to thrawt the annual exorcism rite known as Setsubun?This February 3rd on Setsubun, the Japanese version of Groundhog Day where Japanese... more
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February 3rd in Japan is Setsubun, a spring holiday that is like Groundhog Day, New Years, and Halloween all rolled up into one with a dash of "The Exorcist." On Setsubun, Japanese seek to drive evil out of their homes by tossing a handful of beans and saying "Oni wa Soto! Fuku wa Uchi!" - "Bad Luck (Devils) out! Good Luck In!" Also many people go to temples and shrines for mame-maki. Mame-maki is where people throw beans and other things to the crowds for good luck. Setsubun is one of my favorite Japanese holidays. February 3rd in Japan is Setsubun, a spring holiday that is like Groundhog Day, New... more
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Here's a vlog of me explaining the Japanese holiday of Setsubun which is like Groundhog Day, New Years, and Halloween all rolled up together. It's a day where Japanese seek to drive Oni or Devils from their homes by throwing beans at them. Oni don't like beans - makes them go blind apparently.
Also many temples and shrines have mami-maki which is where people throw beans and other items at gathered crowds. To catch these items is to bring you good luck all year.
This Setsubun a sudden snowstorm struck in Tokyo. A rather ominious sign as the Setsubun is a Spring Ritual and exorcising the devils is like driving Winter out. I think it was a sneak attack by the Setsubun Devils myself. However the ritual must have worked because the next morning the sun was out.
I plan to do a proper pod on this in the near future so stay tuned!Here's a vlog of me explaining the Japanese holiday of Setsubun which is like... more
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