Image: Asakusa-dera Temple

Setsubun is the festival held on Feb 3, which traditionally marks the beginning of spring on the Japanese lunar calendar.

Temples and shrines across Japan perform various rituals at Setsubun, such as throwing beans, to drive away demons and bring happiness for the year. Some of the big shrines invite celebrities such as sumo wrestlers, actors and singers to throw beans at onlookers.

The men and women who throw the “fuku mame” (fortune beans) are called “Toshi-otoko” and “Toshi-onna,” and are selected based on their birth year according to the Chinese zodiac, so this year, anyone born in the year of the dragon has the right to throw beans at the festivals.

Usually, they throw roasted soy beans from the stage to the crowds who try to catch and eat them, believing that will bring happiness during the year. When throwing the beans, the people shout “Oniwa soto, fukuwa uchi” (Demons out! Good fortune in!). It is believed that eating the same number of the beans as one’s age is especially lucky.

Setsubun is not just for shrines; you can celebrate it at home as well. The father or the oldest man of the house plays the role of a demon with the mask, and the children throw beans at him, shouting “Oniwa soto, fukuwa uchi.”

Another traditional custom at Setsubun is eating “eho-maki,” which is a fortune sushi roll. It contains seven ingredients (dried ground shavings, cucumber, mushrooms, egg omelet, eel and pink colored fish powder), which represent the Seven Gods of Good Fortune.

When people eat the roll, they contemplate the lucky direction of the year ahead in silence, wishing for happiness. Eating the roll uncut signifies that your good relationships with others will not be cut. The lucky direction of this year is north-northwest.

So prepare your compass and buy some roasted soy beans before Feb 3.

 Text by Yuko Watanabe.

Where to see Setsubun on Feb 3

 1. Naritasan Shinshoji Temple/Bean-throwing at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

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2. Asakusa-dera Temple

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3. Rinnou-ji Temple/Bean-throwing starts at 2:45 p.m.

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4. Ikegami honmon-ji/Bean-throwing starts at 3 p.m

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5. Hase-dera/Bean-throwing starts at 12 noon.

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6. Zojo-ji/Bean-throwing starts at 12:30 p.m.

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7. Okunitama-jinja/Bean-throwing starts at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

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8. Toyokawa Inari Betsui-in/Bean-throwing starts at 2 p.m.

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9. Inuyama Naritasan

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10. Mamasan Guhouji/Bean-throwing starts at 2:30 p.m.