# Today I learned about Setsubun- why have I never heard of this holiday before?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-i-learned-about-setsubun-why-have-i-never-heard-of-this-holiday-before/958838>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 3, 2022, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-i-learned-about-setsubun-why-have-i-never-heard-of-this-holiday-before/958838 "2022-02-03T09:37:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-i-learned-about-setsubun-why-have-i-never-heard-of-this-holiday-before/958838/1 "2022-02-03T09:37:40Z")

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As I understand it, you celebrate by throwing roasted soybeans at people dressed as ogres then slamming the door on them while shouting inJapanese to banish the ogres and bring good luck. Then you eat one roasted soybean for each year of your age plus one. Finally, you consume an ehomaki which is makisushi with 7 ingredients but uncut. You must consume the entire roll, in silence, while facing a certain direction depending on the year ( NNW apparently in 2022). Sounds like a good time. Where do I find roasted soybeans, ehomaki, and somebody who is willing to dress up as an ogre and let me throw beans at them? I could certainly use some good luck this year.

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-i-learned-about-setsubun-why-have-i-never-heard-of-this-holiday-before/958838/2 "2022-02-03T13:57:42Z")

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You’ve never heard of it before because maybe you don’t consume much Japanese media? i can think of at least [three](https://mangakomi.com/manga/atsumare-fushigi-kenkyu-bu/chapter-115/) [manga](https://mangahub.io/chapter/noramimi/chapter-13) [chapters](https://mangaboat.com/manga/hakai-shin-magu-chan/ch-028/) that I have read or reread in just the last couple of weeks that take place on Setsuban.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-i-learned-about-setsubun-why-have-i-never-heard-of-this-holiday-before/958838/3 "2022-02-04T17:26:40Z")

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Certainly a lot less crazy than Kanamara Matsuri.