Setsubun

According to the old lunar calendar, February 3rd is the last day of winter, also called Setsubun.
It is somewhat hard to believe that spring has arrived when you open your curtains to find such scenery:



Snowing or not, Setsubun eve is the time when misfortune and evil spirits are driven out of the home and good fortune is called in before the start of a new season.





One member of the household usually acts as the demon (often wearing a paper mask) and runs around in every room of the house, while the others throw roasted soybeans at him or her, shouting “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” which means “Out with demons! In with good luck!”



This is all good fun but after the "ceremony" you'll have to pick up each soy bean from the floor and tidy up (or just suck them up with the vacuum cleaner but I don't know if the gods will like that).



To bring in good fortune, some people eat the same number of soybeans as their own age.
If you are a bit more sophisticated (or more superstitious) you may want to eat Ehomaki ("lucky direction" roll).

Ehomaki is a long sushi roll with seven (a lucky number) fillings. On the evening of Setsubun, you must eat it without slicing it, facing the lucky direction for that year (south-southeast for 2008), while making a wish with your eyes closed. Oh yes, and you are not supposed to speak until you have finished it.
The seven fillings will appeal to the seven gods of good fortune who will bring you good luck for this whole year. Of course they will...