Japanese Style01: Setsubun, Bean throwing ...and fireworks festivfal in Hakone!

On 3rd February we have "Setsubun" festival. Sestubun actually means "the day before a change in seasons
" and according to the lunar calendar, winter ends and spring begins on this day. 
It was an important day and Shinto ritual but today, it became just a traditional event in Japan.

On the evening of this day, we throw soybeans shouting "Oni wa soto (Demons out)!, Fuku wa uchi(Good luck in)!" inside and outside our homes.  That is called "Mame maki".

And to pray for good health, we eat soybeans only as the number of one's age.
A lot of  temple and shrines in Japan will hold Sestubun festival and Mame maki inviting males and femals who were born in a year with the same Chinese zodiac sign as the current year.

Hakone shrine will also hold Setsubun frestival.
There is fireworks display on 2nd Feb at Hakone, Lake Ashi.

You can enjoy winter fireworks on the lake from our lake side rooms at Gakueirou Matsuzakaya ryokan!


2009
http://www.gakueirou.com/ja/hakone/seasons/seasons090208.html
2010
http://www.gakueirou.com/ja/hakone/seasons/seasons100207.html

Happy New Year 2011

Happy New Year from Hakone!

At the beginning of the new year, we had Hakone Ekiden, the biggest event in Hakone.

Hakone Ekiden was really an exciting time.

 

And today, the second Monday of January was a national holiday called Coming-of-Age Day in Japan. In this morning, we got some snow.  Lake Ashi was really clear and lovely.

From our lakeside room we saw a quiet and beautiful scenery.

Gakueirou Matsuzakaya Ryokan Website - Photo


Gakueirou Matsuzakaya Ryokan