Setsubun

How odd it did sound in our ears, knowing that February is the coldest month of the year (at least in Koriyama), the 3rd of February is known as the first day of spring according to the traditional Japanese calendar.
It is also thought off as a kind of a new beginning of the year, so the Japanese use the day to make a fresh start, by cleaning out any evilness of the former year, by throwing soy beans either out the door or at someone wearing an Oni mask, while they shout Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! ('Devils out'! 'Fortune in!')

We met one of these Oni’s (devils) jumping around in front of the supermarket wearing a red cat suit, looking more cute than frightening, but inspired by him, we bought a devils mask and a bunch of roasted soy beans, so he might just have had the effect the supermarket wanted.
Instead of throwing the beans at the devil though, we decided to use them on the other ritual done the same day: By eating 1 soy bean pr. year of our age, we have secured our luck for the year to come. :-)

We also passed by the local shrine hoping something festive would take part there. A stand was put up, but we did not have the guts to visit it. A few women rang the bell in front of the shrine, to tell the Gods that there were visitors. We reckon they visited the shrine, not because of the date, but because of their mindset that day.

This gate is the symbol of a Shrine (a Shinto shrine). It is called a Torii and it represents the division between the everyday world and the divine world. The tall red building in the backround is Lion's Mansion Shimizudai - you'll find our apartment on the 12th floor.

Next year we will try to get closer to the rituals of the spring Setsubun. We will check the schedules at the local temples and/or shrines and hopefully get hit by a soy bean or two thrown out the door by a woman as we pass by…