In an event bringing both spring and good luck for the upcoming year, Japanese traditions were brought to the University of New Mexico through a bean scattering event open to all.
The Monday, Feb. 2, event featured a presentation, followed by an origami box making workshop, tossing soybeans at participant volunteers donning ‘oni,’ or demon masks, and eating roasted soybeans corresponding to their age.
The UNM Language Learning Center event featured a presentation by Mami McCrew, UNM Department of Language, Cultures, and Literatures Professor, on the Setsubun festival itself. Setsubun, meaning “seasonal division,” is usually celebrated on the last day of winter or before the start of spring, according to Uwajimaya.
The presentation also featured localized traditions such as “Hiiragi iwashi,” which involves impaling grilled sardine heads with holly branches to ward off the oni. The oni are said to find the smell repulsive, according to Nagase Foods.
Another Setsubun tradition that took place at the event was eating Ehomaki, an uncut sushi roll that must be eaten facing in the “lucky” direction as defined by the Japanese Lunar calendar. For 2026, this would be the south or south-east.
The Ehomaki also must be eaten in silence while thinking of a wish, finished in one go and to cut off the ends is to cut off your fortune.
After the presentation, participants made origami boxes that housed the soybeans prior to scattering.
Event participants filed out of the halls and went out to the duck pond to scatter the beans, donning demon masks. Some masks featured characters from the anime “Kimetsu no Yaiba,” or Demon Slayer. When scattering the beans, participants shouted “Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi,” meaning “Out with the demons, in with Good Fortune.” In Japan, it is common for the beans to be scattered outside of homes, schools and restaurants and for teachers or family members to dress up as oni, while children scatter beans in their direction, McCraw said.
Participants also had an opportunity to snack on roasted soybeans from Japan. According to the tradition, participants should eat one soybean for every year of their age, and an additional one, to protect you for the year ahead.
The Language Learning Center has a focus on East Asian languages in January and February, McCraw said.
“It allows students to learn about languages and culture,” McCraw said. “It allows students who have no knowledge about Setsubun to learn about this event, and it is fun to do too.”
Participation, both from Japanese language majors and some members of the public, were open and enthusiastic. The “demons” then switched places with other participants in the crowd, and the “new demons” were chased away in similar fashion.
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With the end of the event, Setsubun concluded, spring began, and a year of prosperity hopefully now follows. Consider the evil spirits expelled, and good fortune welcomed in.
Shin Thant Hlaing is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
