Many Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year at the beginning of February, but since Japan abandoned the lunar calendar in 1872 and adopted the solar calendar, we celebrate the New Year on January 1. However, we do something special on the Lunar New Year’s Eve.
In the Tsu community, we held a “Setsubun—throwing beans to drive away evil spirits” event. On this day, soybeans are scattered outside each household to drive away evil spirits while loudly saying “Fuku wa uchi, oni wa soto” (good luck is inside, demon is outside), and the person playing the role of the demon wears an ogre mask and runs away.
Demons are symbolic of disease and misfortune, and the wish is to drive them away and welcome the new year. After that, we are supposed to eat as many soybeans as the number of our age, but it is difficult to eat them all at once when there are so many…
This custom originated in the ancient Chinese theory of Yin-Yang (cosmic dual forces) and the Five Elements. The custom was brought to Japan more than 1,300 years ago and has continued to the present day.
It is significant that many of our cultural customs are rooted in ancient China and are still practiced now. Japan seems to be rapidly westernizing (Americanizing) after its defeat in World War II and seven years of occupation by GHQ. Still, it is not easy to change the traditional customs and ways of thinking that have been deeply ingrained in our lives for more than 1200 years. We must carefully consider whether we need to change them.
As Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, let us walk together, getting to know each other more, being interested in each other’s backgrounds and respecting each other’s differences!