The other day at the local convenience store, I spotted packets of 鬼打ち豆 (oni-uchi mame, beans to strike the demons). This brought back warm memories of Saeko-san, my first homestay “mother” in Japan, who faithfully maintained the traditional custom of exorcising demons every year on a day known as 節分 (Setsubun).
“鬼は外!” (Oni wa soto!, Demons out!) she would chant while flinging the beans, “福は内!” (Fuku wa uchi!, Good fortune in!).
節分, observed this year on Feb. 2, once coincided with the last day of the year on the lunar calendar, preceding 立春 (risshun, the beginning of spring). It’s apparently the opportune time to rid one’s household of unwanted supernatural pests.
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