豆まき – Bean Throwing

According to the lunisolar calendar, Setsubun for spring 2019 is on February 3rd.

People in ancient Japan believed that they got sick due to evil spirits when the seasons changed. Setsubun, which marks the transition between seasons, was a time when many fell ill. The bean-throwing ceremony, known as mamemaki, was first held at local shrines to ward off these evil spirits during Setsubun. Soon after, people started performing this ritual in their homes. During a mamemaki, an adult man (usually the father) dons a demon mask and runs through the house. Family members chase him, throwing soybeans and shouting, “Out with the demon and in with good fortune! (鬼は外、福は内)”.

昔々、季節の変わり目は邪気のせいで病気にかかるのだと思われていた。節分はちょうど季節の変わり目。病気になる人が多く、邪気をはらう行事として神社で豆まきが行われた。その後、豆まきは家庭でも行われるようになった。家庭での豆まきは普通父親などの大人の男性が鬼のお面をつけ、家の中を走り回る。家族は鬼に豆を投げながら「鬼は外、福は内」と叫ぶ。