Fortune In! Devils Out! Sushi!!!!

Last week was Groundhog Day in North America which, as you know, can predict the coming of an early spring. Now, that always sounded stupid to me because in Canada we always have 6 more weeks of winter, AT LEAST!

In Japan they celebrate Setsubun on February 3rd. Setusbun is the day before the beginning of Spring. Last Wednesday this also sounded stupid to me as it was by far the coldest day this winter. It was snowing that day!!! The word means "the division between two seasons" (winter and spring). The focal point of this day is a bean-throwing ceremony held throughout the day. If you catch the beans that are thrown then you get extra luck or so I've been told. I've never heard of Japanese people being as aggressive as they are when they fight to get these beans.

Recently, the festival is held on a grand scale at many temples and shrines around Japan. Well-known people who were born under the zodiac sign for that year are invited to throw beans from the stage. Apprentice Geisha (Maiko) are also known to throw beans.

In the evening some specific temples offer a kind of bonfire service. What you do is you write your problems on a piece of paper and come to the bonfire and burn them away. Like I said, it was very cold that night and even though I love burning stuff, it didn't seem worth it to go.

According to the old lunar calendar of Japan, the following day is called Risshun, which means "the first day of spring". The tradition on this day is for people to scatter roasted soy beans inside and outside their homes as they shout "Fuku-wa-uchi, Oni-wa-soto" which means "Fortune in, Devils out". It's also customary to eat the same number of beans as the the age of the person. (Some told me you eat the same number as your age, plus one). One of my students told me that after he threw the beans outside and said what he needed to say, he went and collected the beans, cleaned them and ate them. I'm sure he was lying or joking.

What celebration would not be complete without some form of marketing attached to the celebration to promote some kind of product or service? Thus, in the last few years there is a new tradition of eating Maki Sushi on that day. But people are not that gullible just to buy a product because the companies say so. No! The companies needed to come up with a good way to sell this idea to the Japanese people.
What you have to do is:
1) In 2010 you have to stand West South-West (This apparently changes every year.)
2) Eat an uncut Maki Sushi roll in its entirety.
3) You must not speak while the eating ceremony takes place.

If you do this you will have more luck. And guess what? People do it. Japanese people will do anything if they believe they will get more luck from it. Thus, all day different stores were offering discounted Maki Sushi for all your luck getting needs.

Unlike the first part of this event where there was something about catching beans in the cold, the eating Maki Sushi part for luck was fine by me. No, I did not follow the rules, but the sushi was tasty.