Setsubun

Setsubun (節分^?, Bean-Throwing Festival or Bean-Throwing Ceremony) is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan.^[1][2]

The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun (立春) celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (春祭 haru matsuri^?).

In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (豆撒き^?) (literally "bean throwing"). Setsubun has its origins in tsuina (追儺^?), a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century.^[2]

 The custom of Mamemaki first appeared in the Muromachi period.^[2]

It is customary in Kansai area to eat uncut makizushi called Eho-Maki (恵方巻) (lit. "lucky direction roll") in silence on Setsubun while facing the yearly lucky compass direction, determined by the zodiac symbol of that year. This customary started in Osaka, but in recent years, Eho-Maki can be purchased at stores in Kanto area and it is getting more recognized as a part of Setsubun tradition.