節分/Setsubun
今日は節分です。節分は、豆まきをして鬼を追い払い、厄払いをする行事が有名です。
私の家では夕方になると炒った大豆を皿にのせ（伝統的には升に入れる）、「おにはーそと（鬼は外）」と大きな声で言いながら、家の外に向かって豆を投げ、「ふくはーうち（福は内）」と言いながら家の中に豆を投げます。
そして年齢の数だけ豆を食べて、一年の健康を願います。私のおばあちゃんは80個以上食べるのが大変そうでした！
翌朝、突然街中の道路や庭に豆が撒かれているのをスズメが発見し、大喜びで何羽も地面に降りてきて、チュンチュンチュンチュン豆を食べているのが面白いのです。家の中の豆は、まいた後自分たちで回収します（笑）。
もし明日の朝、日本を旅行していたら、道端に豆が落ちているかもしれませんよ。
Today is Setsubun.
Setsubun is best known for the custom of mamemaki—throwing beans to drive away demons and ward off misfortune.
In my family, as evening comes, we place roasted soybeans on a plate (traditionally, they are put in a wooden masu box). Saying “Oni wa soto” (“Demons out!”) in a loud voice, we throw the beans outside the house. Then, saying “Fuku wa uchi” (“Good fortune in!”), we throw beans inside the house.
After that, we eat the same number of beans as our age and wish for good health for the year ahead. My grandmother used to find it quite a challenge to eat more than 80 beans!
The next morning, sparrows suddenly discover that beans have been scattered on roads and in gardens all over the neighbourhood. Delighted, many of them hop down to the ground and chirp away as they eat the beans. It’s quite a charming sight.
(The beans inside the house, of course, are collected by us afterwards!)
So if you happen to be travelling in Japan tomorrow morning, you might just find beans scattered along the roadside.
Iroha
