Today, February 3rd, is Setsubun (English: the last day of winter by the lunar calender). On this day, one day before the first day of spring (February 4th), Japanese people have a special ceremony: They scatter roasted beans (as you can see in the picture) while hoping by this ceremony to drive off evils and welcome good fortune.If you were in Japan, you could hear people chanting "oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi," which literally means "evils out and good fortune in." Since they chant while scattering the beans at home as well as shrines and temples, you could even hear the sound of the splashed beans. Supermarkets set up a special area where beans and other related goods are displayed and sold. Some temples and shrines, such as Osu Kannon in Nagoya, have the special bean-scattering ceremony and sell "sacred" beans. Eating the number of beans which matches your age is thought to bring you a good fortune. Setsubun marks the coming of spring.
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