I’m posting this entry one day early so that if you wish to celebrate Setsubun in time, you can :D

Setsubun no hi (節分の日) falls on the 3rd of February every year. It indicates the start of Spring and though its not an official public holiday, there are still many traditional acts associated with it which we observe.
[i referenced a lot of information from wikipedia cos i was lazy to think up what to write]

Mamemaki aka Bean-Throwing
setsu-5
Roasted soybeans are thrown either out of the door or at a family member wearing an Oni (demon or ogre) mask
The throwers chant “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” whilst throwing the beans.
Basically they are cleansing the home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them.
Then, as part of bringing luck in, it is customary to eat roasted soybeans

Young kids tend to eat, one for each year of one’s life, and in some areas, one for each year of one’s life plus one more for bringing good luck for the year to come. But most adults just eat whatever amount XD i dont think its really tradition, just something kids do or were told.

Read the rest of this entry »

When you visit a theme park, do you buy gifts for yourself?
I was in Tokyo Disneyland recently and I picked up this box of tea for myself
tea-1
Sorry i dont remember how much it cost, i *think* it was around JPY2000 or USD$26.

Read the rest of this entry »