Setsubun

A post about the story behind Setsubun.

February 3rd is the tradition of Setsubun in Japan. It is celebrated every year and it is said to end the Winter and welcome Spring. Setsubun falls on the day before "Risshun," the first day of Spring according to the lunar calendar. It is the beginning of the New Lunar New year and there are some traditions that help, with bringing luck in the new year.

First there is the tradition of eating an ehomaki roll, which is a long sushi roll filled with delicious fillings like egg, cucumber and eel.

Eho - えほ - means lucky direction, refers to the direction in which Toshitokujin - 歳徳神, the God of Fortune for the year, is facing. Basically, anything you do while facing that direction is considered lucky for the year.

That is also why you eat ehomaki facing that direction as you wish for prosperity and health. The lucky direction changes every year. The direction for this year, 2023, is south-southeast.

You need to eat this ehomaki in silence in order to achieve the full effect.

During Setusbun there is also the tradition of throwing beans at ogres. The story goes that the ogres kidnapped the Spring fairy, so Winter took a longer time. In order to chase the ogres away people threw soybeans at them. You can find these in every supermarket around this time.

It is another tradition that you eat as many soybeans as your age plus one in order to have a healthy and prosperous year ahead.

So I hope you all have a great Lunar New Year and if I made any mistakes in my explanation please let me know in the comments!