Today, the 3^rd of February, is a special day in Japan.
The day is called “Setsubun”, literally means ‘dividing seasons’.
On the Japanese traditional calendar, spring begins on the 4^th of February.
People in the old times believed that at the change of the seasons, some evil spirits appear.
In order to get rid of them, we have some interesting customs.

The most famous of all is to throw soy beans shouting out
“Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi !”(Out with demons, in with fortune!).

In Japanese language, “beans” is called “Mame”.
“Ma” can also mean “demons” or “evil spirits” and
the Kanji, or the Chinese character, for the verb “perish”, can be pronounced “Me”.
So wishing the evil spirits to vanish, we throw beans.

Prior to this day, in supermarkets and toy stores,
masks of Oni (demons or Japanese goblins) is on sale.


       A typical "Oni" mask and soy beans


It’s a common scene on the day
kids' throwing beans to their dad who puts the mask on. 
(In some families, their mam may also join and throw beans 
to “the evil spirit of the family”. )

It’s also said that if you eat beans one more than your age, you can stay healthy.

Anyway, it’s a fun day for everyone involved.
I remember I always enjoyed this custom when I was a kid. 

And we have another reason to be delighted; the cold winter ends today!
...... well, at least on the old calendar, though.
In fact, many parts of Japan are now affected by heavy snow.
The real spring seems to be still far to come. 

Y.F.

Last night it snowed heavily in areas around Tokyo.

In Tokyo we have snow several times in a season, but usually it’s a light one.

So the city is not quite prepared for the heavy snow and when it does, you expect the local public transportation to be delayed significantly.

Japan is famous for its punctuality, but when it snows in Tokyo, it’s certainly not the case. This morning, I had to leave home earlier than usual to commute because I knew that the trains were running behind schedule.



                          A suburb of Tokyo, this morning

When we, the people in Tokyo, say “heavy snow”, however, it’s actually a normal snow for those who live in northern, or mountainous areas of Japan. As you can see on the map, Japan is widely stretching north to south. When it scores – 15℃ in Hokkaido, the northern most parts of Japan, you can spend a day with T-shirts in Okinawa, the southern most islands. This huge difference of climate surely changes the way in which people live and think. I would say that it’s one of the sources of diversity of Japanese culture.    
 

Y.F.

Last 10^th of January was a holiday in Japan. The day is called “coming-of-age celebration day”. It is the day when people who has just turned to 20 years old celebrate the start of their adulthood. In Japan, when you become 20 years old, you are considered to be an adult. Now you are legally allowed to smoke, drink alcohol, vote, and what is more, you begin to pay tax… oops!

Until 1997, the holiday was fixed on the 15^th of January, but in 1998 the law has changed and now it is celebrated on the second Monday of January so that many people can enjoy three consecutive non-working days (i.e. Saturday, Sunday, and the coming-of-age day).

Usually on this day, every community holds a ceremony for the newly become adults.

The ceremony is supposed to be held solemnly, and in most cases it actually is. But as this occasion is a great opportunity to reunite with old school mates, some people get really excited about it. In fact, these days offending acts of some “adults” during or after the ceremony have become some sort of a common scene of the day: shouting, talking on cell phones during the ceremony, getting heavily drunk at the party afterwards etc. The number of these troublemakers are only limited and most of the attendants are perfectly fit for the occasion, but as this type of news is particularly featured by the media and thus often appears on TV, so remains in people’s mind.

I think Japanese people are generally shy and reserved as compared to many other nationals, but the younger generation seems to be getting more and more open and has less hesitation to show their true feelings. Of course, offending acts should not be tolerated, but is it too permissive to think that these are the acts of some younger generations who are more true to their hearts?          Y.F.
                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Hi! This is Y. F. a new Japan Brand Online Staff.
I know, more than two weeks have already been past and it’s not the best timing
to say New year’s greeting, but let me say that to announce a new start of the Japan Brand Online.

This year, I will try to update this blog regularly and to write various things on different themes
to let the world know the hips and happenings of Japan.

I want to report not only the traditional aspects of Japan, which is so often featured,
but also the new and modern aspects of this country.
I hope readers around the world to enjoy the latest news about Japan updated from Tokyo.
After all, Japan is not the country of Samurai, Ninjya and Geisha anymore !!

Have you ever been to Asakusa Tokyo ?

Are you all right with summer heat ?

Hello world!!

This is H : the Japan Brand Online Staff.

How are you today ?

Today is Tanabata according to the Japanese calender.

Tanabata(七夕) is the day we celebrate stars.

And we wish upon a star, by decorating bamboo with writing wishes on origami.

We have a romantic story on Tanabata.

The long ago, there were couple love each other.

The wife is a creator’s* daughter who is good at looming and the husband is acattleman.

They’d been hard worker until they married.

So much they loved , they came to work less.

That make the creator angry , and he let them separate .

Since then , they can meet once a year on 7/7.

The bridge across the Milky Way is their date spot.

*天帝(old Chinese word)

I wish today will be delightful day for you !

Thanks,

H 

from Tokyo JPN

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