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My 1st CNY away from home, I'm missing out on my favourite pineapple tarts, love letters and mummy's abalone!!! That sense of being home with your family is something I never thought I'd one day actually miss. I vow to return home for CNY next year!
While Lunar New Year is not celebrated in Japan, they have a ceremony at the beginning of Spring, Setsubun (節分) - which is to drive away the oni. The oni (鬼) is similar to our nian in Chinese folklore. The custom is mamemaki (豆撒き), to throw roasted soybeans out of the house or at a family member wearing the oni mask (see below), while chanting, "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" (鬼は外! 福は内! = Demons out! Luck in!). The beans are then eaten according to the years of one's age.
I'm not sure if this mamemaki custom is still widely practiced today, but we were given some roasted peanuts (in place of soybeans) for lunch yesterday, with a cute oni mask printed on the packaging. 鬼は外! 福は内!
I'm happy that Spring's here! No more moody winter days!
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