Today's Picture: 009
Feb. 4th, 2009 12:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akujunkanThe U.S. has Groundhog Day, Pagans have Imbolc, and the Japanese have Setsubun.
Setsubun is celebrated by throwing soybeans at a family member dressed in an oni (demon) mask while chanting "Out with the demons, in with good luck!" Then you're supposed to eat a soya bean for each year of your life plus one extra for good luck.
This picture was taken in the basement of Takashimaya department store. In it you can see the oni masks and customers choosing from a variety of soy beans (flavored or unflavored? budget or highest quality?).
Setsubun is celebrated a bit differently in Kansai, where you're also supposed to face the new year's lucky direction (in this case northeast) and eat an entire makizushi in silence. I did this, along with three Japanese friends, earlier this evening. Let me tell you there is nothing weirder than shoveling down an entire, ginormous sushi roll in one go, in complete silence, while everyone stares at your back. Anyway, we were so full after the sushi that we decided to forego the soya beans.
That will be all.
Setsubun is celebrated by throwing soybeans at a family member dressed in an oni (demon) mask while chanting "Out with the demons, in with good luck!" Then you're supposed to eat a soya bean for each year of your life plus one extra for good luck.
This picture was taken in the basement of Takashimaya department store. In it you can see the oni masks and customers choosing from a variety of soy beans (flavored or unflavored? budget or highest quality?).
Setsubun is celebrated a bit differently in Kansai, where you're also supposed to face the new year's lucky direction (in this case northeast) and eat an entire makizushi in silence. I did this, along with three Japanese friends, earlier this evening. Let me tell you there is nothing weirder than shoveling down an entire, ginormous sushi roll in one go, in complete silence, while everyone stares at your back. Anyway, we were so full after the sushi that we decided to forego the soya beans.
That will be all.