What is Setsubun? What is Mamemaki?

Definition of Setsubun and Mamemaki

From Wiki:

Setsubun (節分) is the day before the beginning of spring in Japan.The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun (立春) celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (春祭 haru matsuri). In its association with the Lunar New Year, spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (豆撒き, literally "bean scattering"). Setsubun has its origins in tsuina (追儺), a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century.

Mamemaki

The custom of mamemaki first appeared in the Muromachi period. It is usually performed by the toshiotoko (年男) of the household (the male who was born on the corresponding animal year on the Chinese zodiac), or else the male head of the household. Roasted soybeans (called "fortune beans" (福豆 fuku mame)) are thrown either out the door or at a member of the family wearing an Oni (demon or ogre) mask, while the people say "Demons out! Luck in!" (鬼は外! 福は内! Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!) and slam the door.[ This is still common practice in households but many people will attend a shrine or temple's spring festival where this is done. The beans are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them. Then, as part of bringing luck in, it is customary to eat roasted soybeans, one for each year of one's life, and in some areas, one for each year of one's life plus one more for bringing good luck for the year to come.
The gestures of mamemaki look similar to the Western custom of throwing rice at newly married couples after a wedding

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Setsubun event in the public places

Here is the video on Mamemaki which was done in the Yoshida shirine.

How we have Mamemaki at school and home

We even have mamemaki in the kindergarten which looks like this.

Mamemaki in the house looks like this...lol

Mamemaki in the house looks like this...lol

anyhow, the important thing to remember is that because of clean up we use pakages of beans to do event at home,lol

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Source:
WIKI

Meiji Shrine Favorite relax place in Tokyo

Amazon g forest in the middle of Tokyo

I just went to Meiji shrine yesterday. It is the one of my favorite place to visit in Tokyo. What I like about the shrine is the gap between all the building around Meiji Shrine and great forest inside Meiji Shrine area. If I visit Meiji Shrine I can feel fresh air and I can relax. In addition, size of Trii, which following video will explain, and shrine is so gorgeous and huge. Even I visit couple of times, the appearance amaze me.

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Round trip japan within 8mins

Fall in Nagano (Shinshu)

Fall in Nagano

The Japanese make a lot of the fact that they have four distinct seasons - as if it was something unique to their country. Actually, the fact that the archipelago covers several climatic zones and is caught between the Asian continent and the Pacific does cause dramatic mood swings in the weather. Cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers can be found all over the world but there are certain seasonal treats that only Japan can offer and others that have their own local twist.

My best season is Autumn.　I just like weather of Autumn it is kida chilly outside. But Sunshine is very warm and nice. Trees are changing colors to beautiful yellow and read. It is amazing! I just love everything about Autumn.