If you see celebrities, sumo wrestlers and kabuki actors in one place throwing hundreds of kilograms of beans out to the crowd, then you know something special is going on.
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The chance is your visit to Japan will start at the Narita International Airport, and just 30 minutes away there is Naritasan Shinshoji shrine, one of the places where visitors can vitness the celebration of setsubun, "changing of the seasons".
This event too is visited by many celebrities, including sumo wrestlers and kabuki actors, who together throw about 860 kg of beans out to the crowd.
Around the 13th century it became a custom to drive away evil spirits by the strong smell of burning dried sardine heads, the smoke of burning wood and the noise of drums. The custom changed during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) and these days the most commonly performed setsubun ritual is the throwing of roasted beans around one's house and at temples and shrines across the country.
Beans were a staple food that was essential for people to survive, and were believed to have sacred power along with rice, which could get rid of evil spirits. The Japanese word for beans is pronounced as mame and sounds similar to the word for demon eyes and because of that throwing beans has a similar sound to destroying demons (mametsu).
People who are doing this at home start with the room that is located the farthest from the entrance. With the windows open they throw the beans so that evil spirits can leave. Another custom, especially for small children, is throwing beans at a family member who is disguised as an oni demon (ogre, or troll).
When throwing the beans, you are supposed to shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Devils out, happiness in!"). Afterwards you should pick up and eat the number of beans which corresponds to your age.
Many shrines and temples hold bean throwing ceremonies, where the priest throws beans, chocolate, money and other prizes into the crowd. At popular temples, these events are joined by Japanese celebrities, so this is your chance to cheerfully celebrate the beginning of the new season with good wishes from Japanese priests. This year, the ceremony will be held all around Japan on February 3. ■