Bean Thrwoing, Earth Shaking, and Chocolate Delight

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Setsubun

February in Japan starts out with the celebration of Setsubun. The word literally means “a division of the seasons”. The holiday is based on the lunar calendar and marks the beginning of the “eve of Spring”.

Generally, there are two customs on this day. First, people of all ages throw dried soybeans while chanting “oni wa soto, fuki wa uchi!”. Translated roughly, this means “out with the demons, in with good luck!” People partake in this celebration at work and at home. Usually the boss will be the one to wear the read “demon” mask and allow his employees to throw beans at him. This activity is believed to usher out all the demons and bad luck that have accumulated in the house over the winter season. Spring is a season of growth and rebirth and this is how they prepare for it.

Another custom is to eat the number of beans that corresponds to your age. I am told that many children do this, but it is rare for the adults to partake. Really, who wants to eat 50 dried soybeans? At many of the shrines sumo wrestlers or other celebrities are videotaped throwing the beans or eating them. The celebrities are chosen according to their zodiac sign. This is the year of the rooster so those born under this sign will be asked to carry out the festivities.

One thing I love about the Japanese is their ability to celebrate anything and everything. Every month has a National Holiday and people love to celebrate here!

Earthquakes

This week Jeremy and I also felt our first earthquake! My students have found it to be hilarious that we were so excited by this. It was really an interesting experience. I say that mostly because it was a very small one and there was no damage. One of my students actually researches seismic activity professionally and I have learned many interesting things. For example, there is a small earthquake in Japan every day! In Tokyo alone, they have about 10 you can feel per year. We had both been somewhat anxiously awaiting our first earthquake and I am actually relieved. Granted, it was a small earthquake. However, I both mistook it for the construction going on next door. Jeremy, however, thought differently. When the floor began shaking he jumped up like a bee was after him and pulled me out of the bathroom where I was doing my makeup. When the dishes began rattling we knew for sure it was no construction. We looked it up on the Internet to make sure. Here is the info for anyone interested (okay, for our Moms).

National Foundation Day

Another holiday celebrated this month is National Foundation Day, February 11. Technically this holiday is the celebration of the day the first Japanese emperor was crowned, in 660 BC. However, in talking with my students, I have come to realize it is little more than a three-day weekend for most. There are no special customs or foods, which is a rarity in Japanese culture.

St. Valentine’s Day

Then of course we have St. Valentines's Day next week. In Japan the holiday is celebrated quite differently from the U.S. Here St. Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14, and White Day one month later on March 14. Every time they refer to the holiday they say “Saint Valentine's Day”. I find this ironic because the majority of people here in Japan do not believe in Gods, per se, and only believe in one Saint. There is not a person in Japan that doesn’t hold to the story that St. Valentine's Day was imported to Japan in 1958 by a Japanese confectionery company. They say that it was introduced when sales were slumping and needed a boost in revenue. Here only the women giving presents to men, not the other way around. Usually women are expected to give chocolate to everyone (Jeremy says yay). This often includes the workplace. In March, men are supposed to return the favor on White Day, which is a Japanese creation. White Day is believed to have been introduced by a marshmallow manufacturing company in the 1960s in response. The white marshmallows gave the day its name but other kinds of presents such as candy, flowers, and cookies have become more popular over the years. You can find some more interesting background here.

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