Setsubun is not a national holiday, but celebrated at shrines and temples nationwide.
Setsubun ("seasonal division") is a festival held on February 3 or 4, one day before the start of spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. Setsubun is not a national holiday.
For many centuries, the people of Japan have been performing rituals with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits at the start of spring.
Around the 13th century, for example, it became a custom to drive away evil spirits by the strong smell of burning dried sardine heads, the smoke of burning wood and the noise of drums. While this custom is not popular anymore, a few people still decorate their house entrances with fish heads and holy tree leaves in order to deter evil spirits from entering.
In modern days, the most commonly performed setsubun ritual is the throwing of roasted beans around one's house and at temples and shrines across the country. When throwing the beans, you are supposed to shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Devils out, happiness in"). Afterwards you should pick up and eat the number of beans, which corresponds to your age.
Setsubun (節分), Bean-Throwing Festival or Bean-Throwing Ceremony) is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan. The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun (立春) celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (春祭 haru matsuri). In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (豆撒き) (literally "bean throwing"). Setsubun has its origins in tsuina (追儺), a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century.
LINKS: (ALL THE INFORMATION ABOVE CAME FROM THESE SITES)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun
http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/japan/index-setsubun.htm
Image from:
http://unajaponesaenjapon.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/setsubun/
Activity:
Origami: http://www.origami-club.com/season/2/fuku-oni/index.html
Setsubun ("seasonal division") is a festival held on February 3 or 4, one day before the start of spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. Setsubun is not a national holiday.
For many centuries, the people of Japan have been performing rituals with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits at the start of spring.
Around the 13th century, for example, it became a custom to drive away evil spirits by the strong smell of burning dried sardine heads, the smoke of burning wood and the noise of drums. While this custom is not popular anymore, a few people still decorate their house entrances with fish heads and holy tree leaves in order to deter evil spirits from entering.
In modern days, the most commonly performed setsubun ritual is the throwing of roasted beans around one's house and at temples and shrines across the country. When throwing the beans, you are supposed to shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Devils out, happiness in"). Afterwards you should pick up and eat the number of beans, which corresponds to your age.
Setsubun (節分), Bean-Throwing Festival or Bean-Throwing Ceremony) is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan. The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun (立春) celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (春祭 haru matsuri). In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (豆撒き) (literally "bean throwing"). Setsubun has its origins in tsuina (追儺), a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century.
LINKS: (ALL THE INFORMATION ABOVE CAME FROM THESE SITES)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun
http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/japan/index-setsubun.htm
Image from:
http://unajaponesaenjapon.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/setsubun/
Activity:
Origami: http://www.origami-club.com/season/2/fuku-oni/index.html