節分Setsubun、吉田神社 Yoshida Shrine

For most western people (especially Mexican), Japan can be imagined as a country with strange festivals and religions. But being close the culture by itself can demonstrate us that they have more than just Shinto, discovering Buddhism and other Contemporary religions. In this case I will talk about Shinto and a special date which I had the opportunity to be in.

Shinto (native Japanese Religion), has a lot of holidays which also can be referred as Festivals[1]. Setsubun 節分 (せつぶん) is a traditional holiday that is celebrated on February 3rd and is known in English as “Bean-throwing Festival.”. On that date, practitioners of this religion assist at different Shrines for series of rituals commemorating the Spring Equinox (Setsubun literally means “seasonal division”). Also this is the start of the New Year according to the Japan’s old lunar calendar.

Within this holiday we find two different places to celebrate it: at home and at a Shrine. In the first case it’s denominated豆まき – Mamemaki – Bean Throwing, which consist in a performance by members of the Japanese families: the head of the house wear an Oni (demon) mask, which has to be purified through an attack of mame (beans) that are thrown towards his body, while they say 鬼は外！福は内！Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! “Demons go out, good luck inside”. Most of Japanese have done this ritual at their houses.

1

2

On the other hand, more activities are destined for Shrines. From purification ceremonies, through a big performance in which a bunch of people throw beans toward a well elaborated Oni (demon).

The Shrine that I visited is called Yoshida Shrine[2] in Kyoto. As I had Religion class until late that day, I didn’t be able to see the great performance of the Oni, but of course we witnessed the atmosphere: some people wearing traditional cloth, a continuous purification ritual (for people who at the end received an arrow that had absorbed the impurity), the countless street food and game places, and a final event that really surprised me.

This last ritual was about purification of objects that had being contaminated by the impurity of the people. They gathered them at a bonfire that was consumed by a mighty fire.

Every person was always going to pray and give offering for the shrine. Buying food or sake and participating at the different activities that were going on.

Setsubun is an important festivity for Shinto. It confronts Spring Equinox and the beginning of a new year in the old Japanese Lunar Calendar, which is translated as a time for purify and pray for a good future.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• “Setsubun Bean-Throwing Festival”, Accessed May, 2017. http://www.punipunijapan.com/japanese-setsubun/

• “Yoshida Shrine” . Accessed May, 2017. http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/about/profile/campus_scenery/yoshida.html

• <<“Setsubun,” Throw Your Cares and Beans Away>> . Accessed May, 2017. http://onlynativejapan.com/2016/02/03/%E3%80%90culture%E3%80%91-setsubun-throw-your-cares-and-beans-away/6206

• Image 1:http://jpninfo.com/39231

• Image 2:http://nicholasjv.blogspot.mx/2013/02/setsubun.html

[1] Which are characterized for different activities, from flashy ornaments, through chants and purification rituals.

[2] It was founded in 859, during the Heian period, by the powerful Fujiwara family. It’s close Kyoto University.