The bean scatterer is traditionally a male family member born on the zodiac sign of the new year (年男), or else the male family head🙄

For good luck family members eat 1 soybean for each year of their life, plus 1 extra for the new year.

#Setsubun #節分

Legend has it that Ryōgen cast out the irritating oni with the power of prayer and a waving of his 'sanko' (三鈷 'trident vajra').
The event became a regular celebration at the temple, though the 'oni odori' (鬼踊り 'demon dance') only dates to the Taishō period.
#setsubun #節分

The 3 colours of the oni symbolize the 'sandoku' (三毒 the '3 kleshas'). In Buddhism kleshas are mental states that cloud the mind, poison the heart, and manifest in unwholesome actions.

❤️greed/desire (貪欲)
💚ill-will/anger (瞋恚)
🖤ignorance/folly (愚痴)

#Setsubun #節分 #鬼

Roasted soybeans called 'fukumame' (福豆 'fortune beans') are thrown out of open doorways (or at brave family members dressed as oni) while everyone yells📢

"Devils out! Fortune in!"
(鬼は外! 福は内!).
The doors are then slammed firmly shut, trapping any misfortune outside.
#節分

Setsubun (節分), which falls on February 3rd this year, marks the beginning of spring in the lunar calendar.

Yoshida-jinja (吉田神社), Mibu-dera (壬生寺), Yasaka-jinja (八坂神社) and Rozan-ji (廬山寺) host the city's most famous celebrations.

#Kyoto #京都 #Setsubun #節分 #Japan

Tiger loincloths, roasted soybeans, holly and dried sardine heads, oni, a plump-cheeked woman, lucky directions and makizushi...
...this thread will tell you everything you need to know about Setsubun (節分)🤔

driving out demons
sweeping out beans...
now I sit cross-legged
鬼の出た跡はき出してあぐら哉
-Kobayashi Issa, 1822.

#Setsubun #節分 #Japan