Setsubun Festival

The day before the beginning of spring is a holiday in Japan. Held each year on February 3rd, the timing is usually around the beginning of Chinese New Year. The customs surrounding this festival are very interesting! The most famous is throwing soybeans. This is to cleanse the house of the previous year’s bad luck, making way for a better new year to come. If you enjoy eating soybeans, don’t worry – after throwing beans, there are plenty more to eat! One tradition is to eat one roasted bean for each year of your life. Some Shinto shrines have very big celebrations, so join in if you can – you can see celebrities and sumo wrestlers throwing beans, candy and other prizes.
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