Setsubun

Categories:: Cultural
Tags:: Cultural Holidays Festivities Food
Where:: Japan
Date change rule:: Varies by Japanese lunar calendar (February 2–4)
Holiday emoji:: 👹

Setsubun, or the Bean-Throwing Festival, ushers in spring each February 3, though its exact date can shift due to the Japanese lunar calendar. Families gather to perform mamemaki, tossing roasted soybeans to ward off evil spirits and welcome good fortune. Join in the lively traditions by preparing your own beans, donning an oni mask, and embracing the arrival of spring.

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Expected Setsubun Deals

While specific 2027 promotions for Setsubun are yet to be announced, past years suggest a growing interest in Japanese cultural products and food. Look for special offerings from Asian grocery stores like H Mart and Mitsuwa Marketplace, which often feature fresh soybeans, roasted beans (fukumame), and eho-maki sushi rolls. Japanese restaurants such as Ramen Nagi or Izakaya Hachi might offer themed menus or discounts on Setsubun-related dishes. Online retailers like Japan Crate or Bokksu could feature snack boxes with seasonal treats. Additionally, craft stores like Daiso or MUJI may provide supplies for making oni masks or traditional decorations. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as February 3 approaches.

Platform Guide for Setsubun

TikTok

Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #Setsubun. Film your family’s bean-throwing ritual or a tutorial on making eho-maki sushi rolls.

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #Setsubun. Share vibrant photos of your Setsubun decorations, traditional foods, or creative oni masks.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #Setsubun. Share stories of how your community celebrates or memories of past festivals.

Setsubun Hero

Risshun (Start of Spring)

While Setsubun doesn't have a single founding figure, its essence lies in Risshun, the traditional Japanese calendar's first day of spring. This period marks the transition from winter, inspiring rituals to cleanse and renew. Setsubun, meaning 'seasonal division,' is traditionally observed the day before Risshun, preparing the way for the new season's energy and good fortune.

History of Setsubun

Tsuina or Setsubun originated from a religion called Nuo Folk from the Tujia community in China in the 8th century. Nuo folk practices exorcism where demons are forced to leave a person using various methods. In the 13th century, these evil spirits were exorcised by burning wood, dried heads of sardines, and beating drums loudly. This practice continues in Japan today, but with roasted soybeans in a practice called ‘mamemaki,’ the beans are either thrown out the door of your home or at a family member wearing a demon’s mask while shouting “Devil out! Fortune in!” People then eat roasted soybeans, believed to bring good fortune, and where one bean represents each year of life. An additional one is enjoyed to bring good luck in the coming year. It’s also common in present-day Japan, to see dried sardine heads and holly leaves hanging outside houses, the purpose of which is to drive away demons.

In the Kansai region, people observe Setsubun by eating special sushi rolls called ‘eho-maki’ that are believed to bring good luck when eaten while facing the ‘lucky direction,’ determined by that year’s zodiac sign. For instance, the lucky direction of 2021 was South-South-East. Now, this tradition has spread to other areas of Japan as well.

Since the day celebrates a change of season, people also dress up as their ‘opposite’ where, for example, young girls dress up as older women and vice versa or where men dress up as women.

Setsubun timeline

8th Century

Exorcism Practice

Chinese Nuo Folk religion influences exorcism practice during Setsubun.

13th Century

Warding Off Evil

Japan adopts the custom of warding off evil spirits by burning dried sardine heads.

14th Century

Mamemaki

The custom of ‘mamemaki,’ or throwing soybeans is introduced.

19th Century

Switch to the Gregorian Calendar

Japan switches to the Gregorian calendar but the Chinese lunar calendar is still followed for many occasions.

Setsubun FAQs

When is Setsubun?

In 2027, Setsubun will be observed on Wednesday, February 3. It’s a day for families to cleanse their homes of evil and welcome good luck for the new season.

What is the meaning behind Setsubun?

At its core, Setsubun is a purification ritual to transition from winter to spring, ensuring a healthy and prosperous year ahead. The act of scattering roasted soybeans is believed to purify the home and ward off misfortune, embodying a fresh start.

How many soybeans are eaten on Setsubun?

The number of lucky beans consumed on Setsubun corresponds to one’s age, plus an additional bean for the new year. This practice reinforces the theme of renewal and wishing for longevity and well-being as spring begins.

What is eho-maki?

A popular Setsubun custom, eho-maki is an uncut sushi roll filled with seven ingredients, symbolizing the Seven Lucky Gods. For 2027, the lucky direction to face while eating your eho-maki is North-North-West.

Setsubun Activities

Throw beans
“Oni wa Soto! Fuku wa Uchi!” is Japanese for “Devils out! Fortune in.” All you have to do to join in the fun and attract good luck, Japanese style, is roast soybeans, get your friend to wear a demon mask, and throw those beans at them while shouting these words.
Talk to a Japanese friend or get back to your roots
A great way to learn more about any festival or tradition is to talk to a person from that culture who has celebrated it for years or at least has more firsthand knowledge of it. It’s also an opportunity to bring life back to family traditions that may have gotten lost over the years.
Eat ‘ehomaki’
The practice of eating ‘ehomaki,’ a long sushi roll for good luck originated in the Kansai region although it is now popular all over Japan. There are seven ingredients used in its preparation that coincide with the seven gods of fortune.

5 Interesting Facts About Setsuban

Risshun is the beginning of spring
While Setsubun signifies the end of winter, Risshun is the first day of spring.
A lunar week has six days
The Chinese lunar calendar that Japan has adopted has a six-day week called ‘rokuyo.’
Setsubun means seasonal division
The kanji characters, that is, the logographic characters from the Chinese script from which most Japanese writing comes, for Setsubun translates to ‘seasonal division.’
‘Ehomaki’ signifies relationships
The ‘ehomaki’ is a long, undivided roll of sushi to represent the long-term health of relationships.
A shrine to a demon
Although the Kijin shrine is dedicated to a demon, it is still visited to bring good luck.

Why We Love Setsubun

We can eat ‘fukumame’
Fukumame are ‘fortune’ soybeans that are crisp, sweet, roasted, and served in a traditional Japanese wooden box. Customarily, the older you are, the more you get to enjoy this snack. Soybeans are also considered one of the five most important kinds of cereal in Japan.
Geishas dance at special events
Some temples and shrines organize special events to which sumo-wrestlers, geishas, and other dancers are invited for the occasion. Geisha apprentices, called ‘maiko,’ put up a gracefully choreographed performance in pairs and groups, and then throw soybeans at the visitors.
It’s a chance to attract good luck
Setsubun heralds spring and all the good that comes with it. There are a series of simple rituals that are performed to ward off evil spirits and maintain one’s health and relationships with others. It’s a time of optimism for all who participate in it.