"Setsubun" on February 3 and Japanese Masks

On February 3rd, which is the day before “Risshun” (Spring Begins) as well as New Year’s Eve in the lunar calendar, we celebrate “Setsubun” mamemaki (throwing beans). Traditionally “Toshi Otoko” meaning head man of the house or “year men” who are born in the animal sign of the coming year in the Oriental zodiac (2006 is the year of the dog) throw beans to someone dressed as “oni” (ogre) character wearing red or blue ogre masks saying Oni wa Soto, Fuku wa Uchi (Demon Out, Happiness In). After the ritual throwing of the beans, family members eat the number of beans corresponding to their age wishing the good fortune of the coming year. Setsubun is celebrated at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines throughout Japan. For throwing beans, we use roasted soy beans. It is also a tradition to decorate a holy tree in front of the house with a head of a sardine, bean hull (and its sound), and holly thorn so that bad spirits will not enter.
Sources:
Setsubun in Japan: http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/setsubun.htm

We have arranged a Japanese Style table top for the “Setsubun” festival. On the new year’s eve of the lunar calendar, we throw beans towards Japanese “oni” demon character wishing for the coming year’s fortune. After the ritual ceremony, each family member eats the roasted soy beans corresponding to the age. The personal “Setsubun” set is good for the pre dinner appetizer after the ritual ceremony. On the lacquer tray, miniature bottle of sake and small sake hand-blown glass is placed on “Hopper Cana” Kinran fabric coaster. Accompaniment for sake is the roasted soy beans and “Setsubun” snacks. A dried branch of beans hull is arranged wishing for the happiness of the coming year as the old legend teaches that the sound of dried beans hull moves away the demons.

Hospitality Japan.com Boutique presents Japanese masks to create the Japanese Style atomosphere in your room.
Available in Fox, Red Ogre, Blue Ogre, Okame, Hyottoko, Tengu

To read the entire article of Hospitality Japan.com Monthly News Letter, please click here.

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When it snows, let's enjoy "Nabe" & hot sake.

Last Weekend, we had snow in Tokyo. Compared to the other international cities in the world, Tokyo is extremely weak on snow. Trains stop, airport is closed, taxies disappear (as Tokyo taxi drivers are not used to driving in the snow so they stop working afraid of accidents)!!
I took this picture from National Stadium when I went to the gym just to take a hot bath.
Because traffic system goes off the rails, Tokyo residents tend to stay at home on these snowy weather.
At home, you want to enjoy a good meal which will warm you up. In Japan, our favorite menu for those cold days is called "Nabe" cuisine meaning one-pot dish cooked at the table. "Nabe" is extremely popular with variety of different recipes. Most popular type "Nabe" is to cook your favorite meat, seafood and vegetables in the soy sauce based or miso (bean paste) based soup in the pot. Usually we place a portable gas stove on the dining table and family and frends gather and eat your favorite things.
When you have "Nabe" party, the best drink to have with "Nabe" is hot sake.
If you have "Nabe" and hot sake in a warm room, it will make your body and soul happy and warm.
Hospitality Japan.com presents a Sake Set made of Japanese pottery. It comes as a set of 1 container and 2 matching sake cups. Hand-made texture of the pottery makes your sake taste much better.
Second winter presentation from Hospitality Japan.com Boutique is a Japanese quilt snowman coaster. This "Fura" hand-made snowman coaster uses antique kimono fabrics. Each snowman is slightly different and unique. Please let them join in your Japanese Style winter table collection.

Hospitality Japan.com "Japan"ese Boutique


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