Setsubun and sad folktales

Today is Setsubun day. Some people still pratice the custom of throwing beans at home and saying "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Out with the demons! In with good luck!"). Who was thrown away by bean? What is being signified in the bean throwing? What is Oni?Originally the ONI was the cold, and the bleakness of winter. Later it was considered to be a frightening and insolent demon in Japan. The ONI is often depicted as having the horns of a bull and wearing tiger striped pants. This came from the Japanese Zodiac, which holds that NE is the direction of the cow and tiger. And also the ONI were thought to live in that direction, NE is called KIMON = the Gates of Hell. We have many proverbs or folktales which an Oni appears. Since it is demons, the Oni are usually evil . However many Japanese would say the most impressive story about an Oni is this sad one, "Naita Akaoni = A crying red demon".

--A red Oni wanted to live happily with people. However people did not visit him because he was a demon. His friend, the Blue Oni, offered to act badly to people, so that when the Red Oni came out  to help them. the people would notice how nice he was and like the Red Oni. Their plan succeeds and the Red Oni  enjoys hi friendship with peoples. One day Red visites the Blue's house, there was a note on the door. "If I keep associating with you, you seem to be a bad demon like before. So I will leave. Please enjoy with the people; I am very happy that you've got friends. I will not forget you. thank you".  The Red Oni cried upon reading it. --

This folktale is famous as an unconditional friendship story, but it still seems sad to me whenever I read it. Actually many Japanese folktales are so sad. I might say I am traumatized by Gongitsune, "Gon, a little Fox" eve since I read it in a text book in the 4th grade. I can tell you and my friends would agree with me. When we say "Gongitsune", it means unreasonable sadness.

Comments

[Air Jordan Shoes]

Left for the future in mind is zero screen, but you never forget it

[Carolyn Barnes]

We have a great time with Setsubun at my house. My son and daughter-in-law ( she is Japanese) live in Japan and they send me the masks and beans every year. My grandchildren come over. I pin up the masks and they throw beans at them , shouting "Out with the old, in with the new" We call it getting rid of bad stuff, having good luck. They eat one bean for every year of their life.We kind of gear the occasion to whatever we want to think. I live in Texas, lived in Maryland for 5 years where I had asthma which was serious. When I moved away from the pollen the asthma went away, but my grandchildren are convinced that they helped get rid of it by shouting "Out with the old"

[Mari]

Hi Charles
That story sounds a little strange and sad.

Hi Iris
Thank you for another links, anyway I like happy end story.

Hi Orange
You have a son! And he like Setsubun story! ha ha Cute!

[Betox]

wow! what an interesant blog!! i like it a lot!! and it's from the other side of the world! I'm from Mexico =) i'll try to visit you so I can work out my english and improve it. Congratulations, and i enjoyed your story about Setsubun day. See you later.

[Charles]

I always wondered if throwing beans all over was intended to make people sweep the house thoroughly.

My Japanese instructor wrote a funny Setsubun story. A little girl asks her mother if they can do the Setsubun ritual, but every year in February, her mean father forbids it. He says it's superstitious and he will not allow it in his house. But while the father is at work, the little girl and the mother toss the beans, and yell "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi!"
When the father comes home from work, he tries to open the door, but it will not open. He rings the doorbell, he can see his wife and daughter sitting inside, but they do not hear the bell. He rattles the door, he goes around the side of the house and knocks on the windows, but he cannot get their attention. As he stands outside the window, his wife comes to the window, looks right through him, and says "I wonder why your father is so late coming home from work?
Mr. Onizuka was never seen again.

[iris]

Hello Mari, Thank you for introducing the folktales Naita Akaoni and Gongitsune. I enjoyed them. Here is a link that has some nice tales:
http://web-jpn.org/kidsweb/folk.html

[orange]

also, today in the U.S. is Groundhog's Day. If the groundhog sees his shadow, it means 6 more weeks of winter, if he doesn't, it means early spring. today he saw his shadow, so more winter for us; but that's ok, we need more snow where i live anyway!

[orange]

wow, this is interesting. i was just reading my son a book last night entitled "Tokyo Friends" and it talked about saying: "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi" and it had a picture of some kids throwing beans at the devil. He thought it was pretty cool, and started saying it over and over again! The book also mentioned that it is considered good luck to eat the same number of beans that were thrown.