Beans throwing Day~~~

February 3rd, is called "Setsubun"in Japan.It is not a public holiday,but on this day,the Japanese will perform beans throwing ceremony.."Mame Maki".

Traditionally Japanese will throw roasted soya beans,shouting .."Oni wa so to"(get out demons),

"fuku wa uchi"(come in happiness).Nowadays..family usualy mixed those roasted soya beans ,with peanuts and other kinds of nuts..

My family uses a mixture of roasted soya beans,peanuts,roasted chestnut,sweets,ect...

Reason is simple..when my kids were small time..they will run after their father when he throw the beans..and the will run to collect all these beans and nuts...

These roasted soya beans are also know as "fuku mame"(fortune beans). It is believed that people can be healthy and happy,if they picked up these beans and eat them during "mame maki".

Beans throwing ceremony (Mame Maki) are held in shrines and temples all over Japan too..

People visits these shrines and temple to pick up these beans as they are referred as beans of fortune.Usually,these shrines and temple will invite "Sumo wrestlers or celebrities" to throw these roasted soya beans from a platform in the temple.
It is very interesting event..and I will be going to collect my "good fortune"(roasted soya bean) tomorrow from my nearby temple...hehehe...if I can finish work early...