Setsubun Is Coming (Gourmet City Chronicles I)

What I realized today is that our supermarket is a great opportunity to learn about Japanese traditions. You just have to observe the changes in it. That is why I am starting a new section – Gourmet City Chronicles. Japan traditions through the metamorphosis of a food chain supermarkets. I know – it is not the most standard approach but hey, it is Japan after all

Here come the first entry – the Setsubun – the time when the kids throw roasted soybeans (or Fuku mame) on a demon (or oni). It happens every year in the beginning of February (actually on 3rd) and the children get really scared (in the kindergartens) but the demon is always defeated and chased away at the end.

The Fuko Mame appeared two days ago in our shop in several different packages:

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You can see even the picture of a running demon on the Fuku mame on first of the photos.

It is nice that whenever there is some new holiday and new items arrive for it the shop puts explanation tablets right next to them (I told you the Japanese supermarkets are great place to get acquainted with the traditions of the country):

The two big black kanji on the tablet mean – Setsubun – literally “section division” or “season division” (the one bellow – “division” is the same they use for minutes). The kanji in red are very simple and mean (from up going down) – 2nd month, 3rd day (3rd of February).

I wish all the kanji were as simple