みなさんは節分[せつぶん]という日本の行事[ぎょうじ]を知っていますか。今年は節分は2月3日です。今年は、というのは毎年[まいとし]少し日が違[ちが]うからです。でもいつも2月のはじめごろです。陰暦[いんれき]によって立春[りっしゅん]という、春[はる]の最初[さいしょ]の日という日が決[き]まっています。今年は立春[りっしゅん]は2月4日、毎年その前日[ぜんじつ]が節分[せつぶん]です。
春ははじまりの季節[きせつ]。節分は春が来る前に、いやなものがなくなって、いいもののが入ってくるための行事[ぎょうじ]です。節分[せつぶん]の日に日本の多くの家[いえ]ですることは3つあります。1つは「鬼[おに]は外[そと]、福[ふく]は内[うち]」といいながら豆[まめ]をまきます。それから豆[まめ]を自分の年[とし]の数[かず]だけ食べます(つまり二十歳[はたち]の人は豆[まめ]を20食べます)。そしてもう1つは、巻[ま]き寿司[ずし]を1本食べること。この巻き寿司を食べるのは大変[たいへん]なんです。ふつう、巻き寿司は切[き]ってあるのを食べますよね。節分の日には巻き寿司を切らないで、つまり長[なが]い棒[ぼう]のようなすしを全部[ぜんぶ]切らないで食べるんです。食べる時には2つ決[き]まりがあります。1つは「恵方[えほう]」と呼[よ]ばれる縁起[えんぎ]がいい方向[ほうこう]を向いていること、そしてもう1つは食べ終わるまで一切[いっさい]話をしてはいけないこと。巻き寿司を1本食べるのは結構[けっこう]大変ですよ。でも食べ終わったら、この1年がよい年になるといわれています。興味[きょうみ]がある人は自分でもっと調[しら]べてみてくださいね。キーワードは、節分[せつぶん]、恵方[えほう]、豆[まめ]まきです。
明日は日本の多くの神社[じんじゃ]で豆まきの行事[ぎょうじ]があると思います。芸能人[げいのうじん]や有名[ゆうめい]なスポーツ選手[せんしゅ]が神社で豆をまきます。明日のニュースをチェックしてみてください。
It’s Setsubun tomorrow. Setsubun can be described as Bean throwing festival since we throw beans on the day. Setsubun this year falls on the 3rd of February but it varies from year to year, but always some time at the beginning of February. We have a custom to determine “the first day of Spring” according to the Luna Calendar (as you might guess, we also have the dates called as “the first day of Summer” “the first day of Autumn” and “the first day of Winter”). And the first day of Spring this year is the 4th of February and Setsubun is always the day before the first day of Spring.
We hold Setsubun event hoping getting rid of bad things and bringing in luck to prepare for another good year coming just before Spring begins. There are three things most Japanese would do on Setsubun. One is to throw beans saying “Evil out and fortune in.” Another thing is to eat beans. You should eat beans as same as the number of the age of yours – so if you are 20 years old, you should eat 20 beans (yes, you’ve got to count beans to achieve this!) The last thing is to eat a rolled sushi – you might just think, “bring it on, I would be happy to do that!” But this sushi-eating custom would be slightly different from what you think. First of all, you have to have one-uncut-rolled sushi, yes, it is like one big black stick you have to eat. You have to eat it all by yourself and while eating you mustn’t talk to anybody. You also have to face to Ehoo direction, which is the lucky direction of the year (you should be able to find which direction is Ehoo direction this year on the Internet, I am not sure how the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere would count on this matter though… ). Eating a whole stick of sushi would be a bit awkward and would also take a bit of time… it is said that you would have a good year if you would manage to do it.
Tomorrow, many Shinto shrines will have this bean-throwing event. Celebrities and famous athletes will be invited at shrines and throw beans. So please check it out on the Internet tomorrow if you are interested!