Setsubun
Japanese festival to drive away evil spirits before spring.
Setsubun (節分) is a Japanese festival marking the day before the beginning of spring in the traditional calendar. Its name means 'seasonal division,' and it is celebrated annually as part of the Spring Festival (Haru matsuri). The festival involves rituals to drive away the previous year's bad fortunes and evil spirits, with the main custom being the scattering of roasted soybeans.
- label
- Setsubun
- type
- Seasonal festival
- origin
- Japan
- observed
- February 3 (occasionally February 2)
- associated_with
- Risshun (first day of spring)
- key_ritual
- Mamemaki (bean scattering)
Lore & Background
Setsubun has its origins in tsuina, a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the 8th century. The Ainōshō dictionary records a legend from the 10th century that a monk on Mt. Kurama escaped misfortune by blinding oni with roasted beans. The word for bean, mame, can be written as 'devil's eye' (魔目) and is similar to mametsu (魔滅), meaning 'to destroy the devil.'
Reader's Guide
Setsubun remains a widely observed festival in Japan, blending ancient court rituals with folk traditions. The main practice, mamemaki, involves throwing roasted soybeans while shouting 'Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!' ('Devils out! Fortune in!') to purify the home. Participants then eat beans equal to their age plus one for good luck. Many people also attend shrine or temple spring festivals, where priests, celebrities, or sumo wrestlers throw packets of beans and prizes. Regional variations include eating uncut sushi rolls (ehōmaki) in silence while facing the year's lucky direction, and decorating entrances with sardine heads and holly leaves to repel oni. The festival's significance lies in its role as a seasonal boundary, where the spirit world is believed to be close, necessitating rituals to ensure a fresh start and good fortune for the coming year.
Did You Know?
- The custom of throwing beans began in the Muromachi period, based on a 10th-century legend of a monk blinding oni with roasted beans.
- Families with the surname Watanabe traditionally do not throw beans on Setsubun, due to the legend of Watanabe no Tsuna vanquishing oni.
- The practice of eating ehōmaki on Setsubun began in geisha districts from the Edo period to the Meiji period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Setsubun?
Setsubun is a Japanese seasonal festival observed on the day just before spring begins in the traditional calendar. It falls within the broader Spring Festival (Haru matsuri) and focuses on rituals meant to banish the previous year's misfortune and evil spirits.
When is Setsubun celebrated?
Setsubun is observed on February 3 each year, though it occasionally lands on February 2. It directly precedes Risshun, the traditional first day of spring.
What does the name 'Setsubun' mean?
The term translates to 'seasonal division,' reflecting its role as the boundary point separating winter from spring in the old Japanese calendar.
What is the main ritual performed during Setsubun?
The central custom is called Mamemaki, in which participants scatter roasted soybeans outward while calling out to drive away evil spirits and bad luck from the past year.
Why is Setsubun considered important in Japanese tradition?
It serves as a spiritual reset, allowing people to symbolically cast out the hardships of the previous year before welcoming the new season. The festival marks a meaningful transition point in the traditional calendar tied to the arrival of spring.
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