Midnight Diary Entries: February 2011

February

In Japan, February has three traditional holidays that I know of. Setsubun, Hari-kuyo, and Hatsu-uma.

Setsubun

Setsubun is the day before Risshun (February 4th and the first day of spring). Some time ago, Setsubun referred to the days that proceeded all the turning of the seasons: Rikka, the first day of sumer; Risshu, the first day of Autumn; and Ritto, the first day of winter. Today though, Setsubun only refers to the day before the first day of spring, February 3rd.
On Setsubun, people scatter soy beans around their house. This is a ceremony to drive away illness and disasters that could come with the change of the seasons. Diseases and disasters are figuratively compared to oni (devils). In some areas, the ceremony is called tsuina or Oniyarai, both meaning “driving away the devil”. A toshi-otoko scatters the beans at the ceremony. Tradition would have the man of the house perform as the toshi-otoko, but present day protocol requests it be a man who was born in the same year as the current year of the Chinese Zodiac.
After the mame-maki (bean scattering) is done, family members pick up the scattered beans and eat as many as their age. Sometimes people eat one extra bean to bring happiness for the next year.
1. Soy beans are roasted before dusk, served in a ceremonial dish or a wooden measure, and offered to the gods.
2. A sardine head on holly branches is placed at the entrance door to prevent devils from entering.
3. The ceremony starts between 8 and 10 PM. All the doors and windows are left open.
4. The toshi-otoko holds the vessel containing the roasted beans and scatters them as he moves from inside house towards the entrance and twice yells, ｢鬼は外、福は内｣　“Devils, out of the house! Happiness into the house!”
5. As soon as all the beans are scattered, all the doors and windows are immediately closed and locked up in order to keep the devils out and happiness inside.
6. Eat your age in beans!

Hari-kuyo

Hari-kuyo is a memorial service for used sewing needles which dates to the Edo period (1603-1868). This event is held to wish for safe sewing and improved sewing skills. February 8th and December 10th are called Kotoyoka and sewing is begun on the former and ended on the latter. In sewing, February 8th is Koto-hajime, or the beginning of a cycle, while December 8th is Koto-osame, or the completion of a cycle. The memorial services can be held on either or both dates. On this day, no sewing is to be done. The used sewing needles that have been bent or broken are placed in tofu, devil’s tongue jelly, or mocha and taken to a Shinto shrine for prayers. Sometimes they are thrown in the ocean or a river.
Awashima Shrine/Kata Shrine, in Wakayama City is a well known place to bring used needles. The god Sukuna-Hikono-Mikoto is worshipped at this shrine. This tiny god is believed to have cured female diseases and was a god of sewing; hence the god became attached to the memorial service for broken sewing needles.
1. Don’t sew anything on February 8th
2. Place broken or bent needles in tofu or mocha
3. Bring the needles to a shrine, preferably Awashima Shrine in Wakayama City.
Or
4. Throw the needle mocha into the ocean or a river

Hatsu-uma

The first day of the horse month is called Hatsu-uma. In the Chinese Zodiac, the horse month is usually in the month of February, but the start date varies. This year it is . On this day festivals are held at Inari shrines across the nation. The word “Inari” derives from “ripening rice” and the god of five grains is seated at the Inari Jinja (shrine). In early spring every year, people pray to this god for a rich harvest of their crops. Presently, the Inari is not only limited to agriculture, but also better fortune, happiness, and business success. On the day of Hatsu-uma-mode (shrine visit on Hatsu-uma), streamers saying

｢正一位稲荷大明神｣

(sho-ichii-inari-daimyojin)

“No.1 great god of Inari”

are flown at shrines. The worshippers bring fried tofu, red rice, red and white dumplings, and sake as offerings.
1. Go to Inari Shrine
2. Bring fried tofu, red rice, red and white dumplings, or sake
3. Pray for rich harvests of: grain, profits, happiness, etc.
4. Leave offerings at shrine.

Have some more pictures: