Spring Setsu-bun / The second New Year / February 3rd
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
In God world's,just after winter solstice is the first New Year.
It means new born baby of the Sun.It still quiet and weak.
After that,spring Setsubun(February 3 or 4) is the second New Year.
It is an Explicit Sun.
The Sun begins to start its real activity from spring Setsubun.
There is a human's New Year's celebration between true two Sun events.
To tell the truth,there are four Setsubun in year.
Setsubun means a turning point of season.
Spring Setsubun,around February 3
Summer Setsubun,around May 6
Autumn Setsubun,around August 8
and Winter Setsubun,around November 7.
Each Setsubun divides Japanese season but Spring one is especially special as the second New Year of God's world.
We scatter roasted soy beans in all over house while shouting like this.
"Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!"
(Go away Evil,Come on Luck）
After bean throwing,we clean the beans in house,
and we find hidden house's dusts too.
It is an important point in Spring Setsubun.
Cleaning is Japan's basic concept.
Normally,it is said that Oni is evil angry monster in Japan.
It is not true.
In spiritual view point,Oni just punish us when we are bad.
Oni is like a strict father with love.
But people don't know the love because we are stupid.
I'll explain about the other aspect of Spring Setsubun culture.
Roasted beans represent a kind of curse.
Hot roasted beans never grow because these are already dead.
In Japanese myth,Susanoo god (Oni was derived from Susanoo) was exiled from other gods in the God world.
But it was a totally false accusation for Susanoo.
So,other gods wanted to seal Susanoo by beans that never grow.
Therefore,scattering beans is not so important culture.
But we need to keep the culture because it is unique and interesting.
And one more thing,beans never beat Susanoo
because he is very sacred, innocent and higher god than other gods who exiled Susanoo.
Spring Setsubun event in Japanese kindergarten