Cee Bee’s Podcast

This episode talks about the Japanese tradition Setsubun. Setsubun is the day before risshun, the first day of spring in the old calendar. According to the new calendar, setsubun falls on February 3rd or 4th. It is Japanese tradition to scatter roasted beans on this day to chase way evils and troubles. People toss beans around inside and outside their houses chanting, “Demons out, good luck in!” Tradition holds that you will be healthy for the rest of the year if you eat the same number of beans as your age. On setsubun, shrines host bean-scattering events, archery demonstrations, and other ceremonies to drive away evil. In contrast, there are some areas in Japan that have shrines dedicated to a demon god, or that have legends of demons helping humans. In these areas, people may scatter their beans chanting, “In with demons!” The tradition of tossing beans on setsubun is a popular form of the ceremony of tsuina, a court ceremony that began in the Heian era (794-1185 CE). Cee Bee also talked about the book Her