Mamemaki

Note: the red label reads "fuku mame" - luck beans

On the 3rd of February Febuary! The dictionary's wrong! I joined in on the annual Mamemaki (bean scattering). What it is is basically a ritual to cleanse the house of demons and bad luck and bring fortune and good luck instead. Momo had drawn oni (demons) on pieces of paper that we hung outside, and we threw beans at them while yelling "鬼は外！福は内！" ("oni wa soto! fuku wa uchi!" lit. demon is outside! luck is inside!") After that we threw small bags of the same beans around the house - "福は内！" "福は内！" - to bring luck. (These were gathered later.)

Next we all gathered in my room, turned off the light and sat waiting with big plastic bags, and okaasan came in the room with a heap of candy that she threw into the room one handful at a time. Mayhem and joy ensued: "Itte! Itte!" ("Ouch! Ouch!") "Gaaaaaah!" "Iyaaaaah!"

...and then we ate some roasted beans. (Delicious, I might add!) We ate one bean for each year of our lives, and then one for good luck. So I got to eat 19 beans! ^^ Yum, yum!

A very flattering picture of self with an oni bag of beans.
(Which explaines my highly fearful expression of dramaticness.)

Location: Japan~
Mood: "soon swimming! Yay!"
Watching: a Doraemon movie!
Eating: mame!
Drinking: C.C. Lemon