Holyday Art for "Setsubun-sai" by Hisashi Tenmyouya

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

"Neo Thousand Armed Kannon" (2002) by Hisashi Tenmyouya

One of the holiest of holydays of the 2,500 year old Shinto religion is "Setsuban-sai". Shinto, "the Way of the Gods", is the indigenous system of beliefs and rituals of the Japanese people. Shinto is a combination of two Chinese words: Shin, meaning divinity, and Tao, meaning "the way" or "the path".

• Official Name: Setsubun-sai (also known as "Rissun")
• Observed by: Shinto (video), Japanese cultural
• Date: Annually on February 3rd
• Significance: Celebrates the New Year -- The day before Spring in Japan is felt to be a time when the spirit world became close to the physical world, thus the need to perform mamemaki to drive away any wandering spirits that might happen too close to one's home.
• Observances: The ritual mamemaki (豆撒き?) to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. At Shinto shrines (and Buddhist temples) all over the country, there are celebrations for Setsubun. Priests and others will throw roasted soy beans (some wrapped in gold or silver foil), small envelopes with money, sweets, candies and other prizes.
• Greeting: "Demon's Out. Luck in!"
• Related to: Buddhism, Confucianism