The Setsubun reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Setsubun

Setsubun (節分) is a Japanese festival celebrated the day before the beginning of each season (spring, summer, autumn, winter). The name literally means "division of season". Usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun, celebrated yearly on February 3rd.

Setsubun is traditionally celebrated by the head of the household throwing pan-heated beans out the door, chanting "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" (鬼は外! 福は内!) while he does so. The literal meaning of the words is "Demons out! Luck in!" -- the beans are thought to symbolically purify the home. In Heian era, a famous Buddhist monk was said to have driven away Oni by throwing them.

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