Welcoming Good Fortune: Celebrating Setsubun with Family and Folklore
This year, we celebrated Setsubun—a festival that isn’t well-known outside of Japan but is a quirky, fun, and deeply symbolic tradition. At its heart, Setsubun is about driving out evil spirits and welcoming good fortune for the year ahead.
Holding mamemaki…getting ready to throw it at the Oni (evil spirit)…which happens to be Dad this year.
What is Setsubun?
Setsubun (節分) means "seasonal division," marking the transition from winter to spring in the old Japanese calendar. Traditionally held on February 3rd, it's a purification ritual with roots in both Shinto and Buddhist practices. The central event is mamemaki (bean-throwing), where roasted soybeans are tossed at an Oni (demon)—a role often played by a family member—while chanting “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” ("Out with demons! In with fortune!"). This custom is said to ward off misfortune and bring health and prosperity for the coming year.
The origins of Setsubun can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185) when people performed Tsuina, a ritual of driving out evil spirits with peach bows and arrows. Over time, it evolved into the bean-throwing tradition we know today, with the belief that soybeans have the power to purify and cleanse.
Kicking Out the Oni: Our Family’s Celebration
We followed the tradition as best we could—complete with an Oni, beans, and a delicious meal. My husband took on the role of the demon, bravely donning the Oni mask. But he wasn’t prepared for the sheer intensity of the attack.
The kids pelted him hard with the roasted soybeans, screaming with excitement. He yelped, “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” as they fired at him from close range. Good thing he had the mask to protect his face! Eventually, he gave up, running out the door, signaling that the "evil" had been successfully driven away.
After our victorious battle against misfortune, we sat down to enjoy the traditional Setsubun meal:
Grilled fish – Symbolizing protection from bad luck.
Ehoumaki – A special sushi roll eaten in silence while facing the year's lucky direction (determined by the zodiac). << okay, we didn’t do that part as you can imagine it’s hard with a family. Sit in silence? No way!
Even our youngest, aged one-and-a-half, joined in—although she had no idea what was really happening. But she could feel the energy, the joy, and the connection in the room.
The Importance of Folklore, Play, and Human Connection
This whole experience got me thinking about ritual, imagination, and play.
At first glance, Setsubun seems like a silly, lighthearted tradition—throwing beans at a costumed family member, chanting magical words. But beneath it is something deeply human.
We need rituals. We need ways to process the unseen forces of life—fear, uncertainty, hope, and renewal. We also need play—the ability to act out and reimagine the battle between good and evil in a way that makes us laugh instead of despair.
In a world that can feel heavy with real struggles, taking a moment to playfully banish negativity is surprisingly therapeutic. Even if only for a night, we can believe that a handful of beans can push bad luck out the door and invite in happiness and good fortune.
So as I reflect on Setsubun, I think about what it means to be human (especially in today’s fast changing world)—to celebrate, to play, to connect. And maybe, just maybe, to remember that even in serious times, there’s room for laughter and imagination.
Until next year, Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!