Today is Setsubun in Shinto! This tradition originally is to celebrate the beginning of Spring in Japan. The name means “seasonal division” in relation to this. I used to not understand it, since in Canada, February was bitter cold and snow. However, here in Japan, today was actually very warm, springlike weather!
It is also in relation to Lunar New Year festivals in Japan, so you could say Setsubun is also the mark of the beginning of the Lunar New Year.
Many of the traditions and celebrations held now during Setsubun actually came from Chinese influence of “Tsuina” during the Heian period, as well as the influence of unlucky and lucky directions. This is where the tradition of eating ehomaki comes from, and driving out of oni, who are said to come from the “oni gate” directions. However, Mamemaki, the throwing of beans, actually only began to first be practiced much later in the Muromachi period (the first record states it began in 1425 AD).
Setsubun in modern times can take many forms, such as large events, throwing of beans and candy, and excorcism festivals. However, a typical Setsubun usually consists of a ceremony to the kami to pray for a good year, an exorcism ritual, usually involving symbolically shooting a divine arrow (which originated from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu) and then mamemaki, or throwing of beans into the audience to symbolically bring them luck, and to drive away the oni. (usually there are people dressed up as oni to represent them being driven away by the beans.)
However, not all shrines do Setsubun, especially the ones that wish to retain the earliest Shinto practices - the reason Ise Kotaijinguu doesn’t have a typical Setsubun ceremony - or they don’t do a typical Setsubun due to strong relations to oni and oni kami, and for shrines in areas where there is many family names with the kanji 鬼 (oni) in it out of respect.
Oni are typically known as evil spirits or demons in English literature. From their very intense and powerful, and scary mythos and folklore that have been translated. However, like many spirits in Japan - there is a heavy nuance and context - not all is 100% good, and not all is 100% bad.
Oni are very intense spirits, and some have been known to do very bad things. But there are also stories and myths, of good Oni, who helped people, and particularly awe-invoking oni, who are worshipped at shrines. One such legend is the oni of Oni Jinja in Aomori worships the spirit of an oni who helped teach people how to farm, and brought them new advanced tools. As well as the oni kami Ura-sama, of Kibitsu Jinja, who also has his own small shrines in the region.
These shrines, as well as the areas with many families with the oni kanji in their name, and other temples such as Kinpusenji with a story in relation to a teaching from En no Gyoja - see oni in a more positive light, or a way for us to have courage to face challenges our way - tend to do a variation on the typical “Oni wa soto [ Oni get out], Fuku wa uchi![Blessings come in]” with a common one being “Luck come in, Oni also come in” as a way for us to face the year with courage no matter what challenges come our way, or to bring the blessings of the regional oni kami.
Of course, in my tradition, Konko Shinto, we also hold a positive view to oni, and tend to not hold Setsubun, or hold a non-typical Setsubun for a number of reasons, similar to the above examples-
1. We dont see directions as lucky or unlucky - all directions in the universe are sacred and a part of Kamisama.
2. A kamisama who is very important in our tradition, Konjin-sama, is an oni kami who we also recognize their nigimitama (benelovent, gentle) side
3. A sense to respect and be gentle towards all spirits, as Kamisama does not wish to see suffering
This being said, some Konko Shinto shrines, especially in Japan, do a gentle adaption of Setsubun where the traditional roasted beans are given out with tea. There may also be oni play-fighting with the kids, but aren’t driven out. Every shrine is unique. Either way, Setsubun should be a time of joy at any place in Japan, and even overseas! 👹
At our shrine today we hadnt time this year to prepare a ceremony, but thinking for next year! However, today after free talk, Masafumi sensei and I had perfect timing to go to the local Toyokawa Inari branch shrine’s Hatsuuma (sacred grand ceremony of Inari Okami) and Setsubun! The Setsubun was perfect for us as it was just getting beans and snacks and no oni driven away ^^ it was really fun! 👹
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