Japan

Setsubun (The Bean-Throwing Festival)

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Fun and bizarre, Setsubun kicks off the Haru Matsuri (Spring Festival) in Japan.

Setsubun is an old tradition that has evolved into a televised event hosted by national celebrities. Along with the big productions, small stages are set up around the country, many at shrines and temples. Candy and money are thrown into the crowds which cheer and try to catch the small gifts.

At home, families throw beans (usually soybeans) in mame-maki ceremonies to drive away evil spirits that could foul up things later. One member of the household dons a demon mask and plays the "bad guy" as everyone else shouts "get out!" and throws beans until he leaves. The door is symbolically slammed shut on the evil spirit.

When: February 3 or 4

From mid-January, mamemaki sets are on sale from mid-January, the custom of celebrating the season change of setsubun on February 3. Mamemaki's rite consists in throwing beans (momma) in a family member dressed up as the devil and chanting "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" - devils away, happiness will be at home!

The Japanese New Year (Oshōgatsu san-ga-nichi お 正月 三 が 日 - literally "three days of January") is the official state holiday in Japan celebrated on January 1. On the first three days of the year, all offices and state-owned companies are closed, although all New Year celebrations end only on January 14. Oshōgatsu is a period of fun and meetings with loved ones, but also time to end old matters, start life again and ensure yourself happiness in the new year.

1. Japan is called the land of cherry blossoms because cherry trees bloom there. Simple

2.Although it may seem that since they have such a beautiful culture there, they probably have a very interesting life. This is not the case. The average Japanese work from morning to night. More will write about it later. : D

3. Many people think that Japan is a country. This is not entirely true. It is both a country and an island, just like Cuba.

4. Manga and anime are not the same. Many people get it wrong. Manga is comics, and Anime is series, movies, cartoons.

5. Mange is read from left to right

Okiku it was a girl. Her parents loved her very much and decided to buy her a doll. In those days, the doll was something like an iPhone today, few people had it, and almost everyone wanted to have it. Ok, the girl got a doll and named it after her. One day she died of a serious illness (unfortunately I don't remember which one). Her parents decided to cut the hair of the doll for a short time (because the girl had it arranged) and put it at the grave of their daughter. After a month they came to the cemetery, the doll had long hair. They got scared, they made them down. And it was still like that, they were cutting down and they were growing back. In the end, they decided to give the doll to the temple because they were afraid that he would send them misfortune. In the present people find many such dolls and give them to the same temple as Okiku, they smoke or send them on boats to the world. People found an "explanation" why this is happening. But only for the doll named Okiku. Kiku in Japanese means "chrysanthemum", and in Japan, chrysanthemum was and is still a symbol of death.

There was a girl. Her name was Reiko Mashimo. The most popular versions of the story of how Teke Teke became:

One day the girl was at the station with two friends. Their names are unknown. Suddenly, the boy pushed her (it is not known whether by accident or by accident) to the tracks. The girl tried to get off the tracks, but she didn't make it, the train cut her in half. Everyone thought she was dead. It wasn't true. Teke Teke decided to take revenge on the boy and all the people who were at the station at the time, because no one helped her. Nobody survived.

The second story is similar to the first one, except that no one threw her under the train but just fell out of the window. Then she wanted to take revenge for the fact that no one who was at the station did not react. Okay, but where did the nickname "Teke ​​Teke" come from? It was the sound of her movement. They had no legs, so ... she ran around her arms, and the sound of teke teke, which she seemed to be given, was given her name.

Kuchisake Onna is a "woman whose mouth has been cut open", why I put it in quotation marks, I will write in a moment. Her story has also been changed thousands of times. I will tell you about the one I know the most. Unfortunately I don't remember her name. Okay, our lady without a name I knew had a husband. One day he caught her in betrayal and in revenge ... he cut her mouth halfway. The girl wanted revenge. Well, she was running like a crazy girl with a knife and she would approach someone and ask:

- Am I beautiful?

If anyone answered that she was taking off her mask and asking again. When someone said yes, she would cut his mouth and he would die. as someone said (the second time) that it looks bad, it cut it in half. And when he said the same thing, but the first time, she did the same. The only way to save herself was to ask her:

-And I am beautiful / beautiful?

Then the ghost would stop and think. It was the only way to survive. But what I have now written is one big nonsense. The real story was that she was a simple peasant working in the field. Her family lived outside the forest. One day, returning home, she was attacked by mafia, and because she was clever, she came up with an idea how to defend against them. She put on a white kimono, shoes and put a mask on her face. As now they wear in China during the coronavirus epidemic. And finally she put such a candle holder on her head. She walked like this when she came back and came home. People thought it was a phantom and they didn't attack it. All right, but why should she have her lips cut? Because she was wearing a mask. People thought he probably had something to do with his face. This girl with cut lips I put in quotation marks because it is one big bullshit.

It might seem that because Japan has so rich culture, the life of an average Japanese is also extraordinary. This is not so. In fact, it is often very normal and sometimes boring. Japanese usually work from morning to night. When they get up, they eat breakfast and, well ... work. By saying that they work from morning to night, I mean, they usually start work at 8 and finish at 22. Unless they have overtime. Then even at 24. On the other hand, they have all these festivals, but they are not everyday.