We took a little road trip down to Nagasaki for their annual Chinese Lantern Festival. It was a cold, rainy day so we didn't stay that long, but it was totally worth it! They have hundreds of ornate lanterns of all shapes and sizes. My favorites were the ones that represented each animal of the zodiac. Most of these were seriously HUGE! They also put on fun shows including a dragon dance and a lion dance along with some traditional umbrella dances.
This one is made entirely of porcelain plates, cups, and spoons.
The offering tent where you can give a donation and pray
Setsubun is the fun way the Japanese welcome spring every year. It is celebrated on February 3rd, the day before spring and is commonly thought of similarly to new years where the year is renewed. We went to Mamemaki, or bean scattering ritual, at a local shrine in Sasebo.
The ceremonial burn pit filled with gift offerings.
Miyajidake Shrine
Wooden wish plaques called Ema
Setsubun is celebrated to drive out the bad spirits, ogres, and to bring in good luck. It is common to see ogre masks. Celebrants throw roasted soybeans at these ogres and yell "Oni Wa Soto! Fuku Wa Uchi!" meaning Demons out! Good luck in!. At the shinto shrine priests perform a cleansing ritual that involves dancing, chanting, shooting "arrows" from a bow, and honoring members of the congregation that were born during that Zodiac year. This is the year of the monkey, so all the "monkeys" wore special outfits and sat in an honored place before being called up to throw beans to everyone else.
This years honored zodiac, the monkeys
Eisley was super interested, she wasn't afraid of the ogres and really enjoyed the drumming.
Tossing packets of soybeans
It looks like Eisley was scared of the ogre, but she was just mad because we were keeping from running around and destroying stuff.
After the religious ceremony we were invited to receive mochi to toast in the bonfire to put into our sweet bean soup.
mochi cakes
Toasting mochi cakes over the gift bonfire
Sweet bean soup with toasted mochi
Another item eaten at Setsubun is Ehomaki, or the lucky direction roll. It usually includes dried calabash, egg, eel, and shiitake mushrooms. You are supposed to stand and eat it while facing the lucky direction of that years zodiac sign.
We had so much fun and we loved having the chance to have a new cultural experience!
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