Setsubun

Today is Setsubun in Japan.

I've only ever known it as the 'bean throwing thing'.

It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. People throw beans and chant:


鬼はそと福はうち

to get rid of evil spirits and bad luck and to bring happiness and fortune into their homes.

My elementary school class this afternoon was about this. The HRT led the class for the first time and fair enough, it was mainly in Japanese, but it was still fun.

First, the kids had to teach me how to draw an oni using English. I've already taught them body parts and shapes so it worked out really well. The finished picture looked nothing like an oni but it was awesome! The kids then made fuku and oni masks (including me) and then we all went into the corridor and started chucking peanuts at each other! I don't know what was going on with my aim but I kept hitting all the kids in the face! I tried to chuck a nut to the teacher because he didn't have any but I somehow managed to hit him on the nose!

Whoops! (snigger, snigger, snigger)

Good times!

;-)