February 3, 2009

• Setsubun

  There is a Japanese custom on February 3 called Setsubun, and everybody writes their requests on a piece of chocolate and throws it, no no no, that's wrong.  Everyone opens the windows of  their homes and throws beans at a designated family member wearing a devil mask.  As they throw everyone yells, "Devils out, good luck in!"  After all of the bad luck has been chased out of the house, everyone is supposed to pick up and eat one bean for every year of their age.

  

  On this particular day I was out looking in the shopping street at Nakasu-Kawabata for a chair for Grandma to use in her new room at the group home.  This one was what I decided on.

  

  Chair business done, I walked down to the end of the shopping street to Kushida Shrine to see what was going on there.  The devil expelling bean throwing had ended for the day, but there was still this crazy installation at the gate!

  

  This is a giant wooden bean box, and a devil on the left escaping from a thrower of beans on the right.

  

  Kushida Shrine

  • 06:58
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