How to do Setsubun right?

Let me know the finer parts of the customs marked with a (?) please?

Throw fukumame out the door while saying “oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi”

Eat the same number of beans as your age (+1?)

Face south-southeast (in 2023) and eat an ehoumaki without talking until you finish it. (Do I have to eat the entire thing without stopping or can I pause to take a breath or whatever?)

Anything else?

\*edit fixed ehoumaki direction

14 comments
  1. That’s pretty much it. When I do the mame throwing thing I throw packets of them so that it’s easier to clean up and you can eat them.
    The ehounaki thing is actually something became nationwide in the 80’s due to a certain convenience store started selling them. You’re supposed to eat it in one go but don’t choke yourself, it’s not like it has much religious backdrop anyway

  2. Dress as an oni, burst into your kid’s rooms (if you don’t have kids, burst into someone else’s kid’s rooms – ask permission first), scare the crap of them and try to drag them away while getting pelted with beans, ensure someone is recording to show video to them at later date when older. That’s about all I’ve done ever for setsubun.

  3. For couples, the traditional way is to make your partner wear the mask and throw the packets of beans at her (or him). Make sure that some of the bean packets hit her (or him) on the head… hard. Throw more and more packets, faster and faster, until it’s like a machine gun of bean packets and your partner is cowering in a corner of the living room. While doing that, shout “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” in an ever louder and more demented voice, until complete submission of the oni has been achieved. Record and upload.

  4. Directions unclear, dressed as a princess and tossed candy at kids after chasing them and getting pelted with beans.

    Only 5 of them cried.

  5. Beans are the traditional way, but in our household we make the biggest ahomaki we can and slap the oni upside the face.

  6. I’ve noticed that convenience stores are selling dessert ehoumaki in addition to the usual type. Have they done this before or did I simply miss it in previous years?

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