Out, Demons, Out!!
Very soon you may be walking down the street, when you innocently pass someone firing beans out into the street with the war cry "ONI... wa SOTO!" (Demons, get out!).
February 3rd is Setsubun, the festival by which winter becomes spring and the demons of the old year are banished from houses, making room for the happiness that the year will bring. The process of throwing the beans is called "Mamemaki", and is carried out by the male of the household born in the corresponding Chinese Zodiac year, or else just the head of the household, throwing the roasted beans at another member of the family who is wearing a demon mask. The cry of "Oni wa Soto! Fuku wa Uchi!" roughly translates as "Demons Out! Luck In!" and represents the families hope for a good year.
The act of casting stuff OUT of the house is something that we in the West might do when we are trying to rid ourselves of items that carry with it a bad vibe from past experiences. In Australia, such items may be donated to charities like Life Line or the Salvation Army for resale in thrift shops, but here in Japan it's not so simple. Big recycle stores pay money for gently used items, but they will actually return to you the things not in excellent condition, so you may still end up laden with your unwanted items.
My suggestion for a cathartic purging of unwanted household items? Tell and Sell Japan has prepared a list of places where you can donate items which includes the Salvation Army, Freestuff Japan, and several other volunteer organizations. You'll be paying the postage if you don't live close enough to take it there, but if it's too good to throw away you'll be doing someone else a good turn while also getting rid of unwanted items.
ONI........ WA SOTO!
FUKU........WA UCHI!!
May demons never darken your doorstep and all the luck of 2010 grace your genkan!
February 3rd is Setsubun, the festival by which winter becomes spring and the demons of the old year are banished from houses, making room for the happiness that the year will bring. The process of throwing the beans is called "Mamemaki", and is carried out by the male of the household born in the corresponding Chinese Zodiac year, or else just the head of the household, throwing the roasted beans at another member of the family who is wearing a demon mask. The cry of "Oni wa Soto! Fuku wa Uchi!" roughly translates as "Demons Out! Luck In!" and represents the families hope for a good year.
The act of casting stuff OUT of the house is something that we in the West might do when we are trying to rid ourselves of items that carry with it a bad vibe from past experiences. In Australia, such items may be donated to charities like Life Line or the Salvation Army for resale in thrift shops, but here in Japan it's not so simple. Big recycle stores pay money for gently used items, but they will actually return to you the things not in excellent condition, so you may still end up laden with your unwanted items.
My suggestion for a cathartic purging of unwanted household items? Tell and Sell Japan has prepared a list of places where you can donate items which includes the Salvation Army, Freestuff Japan, and several other volunteer organizations. You'll be paying the postage if you don't live close enough to take it there, but if it's too good to throw away you'll be doing someone else a good turn while also getting rid of unwanted items.
ONI........ WA SOTO!
FUKU........WA UCHI!!
May demons never darken your doorstep and all the luck of 2010 grace your genkan!
