Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!
According to the lunar calendar today is Setsubun- the day before the start of spring, a sort of New Year’s Eve. It is believed that at the start of a new year, the mortal world and the spirit world move closer together than normal, so spirits can wander more easily into our world. Because of this, people all over Japan take part in purification rituals to ward off bad fortune for the year to come, traditionally using fukumame (‘lucky beans’, roast soybeans) to chase demons and evil spirits from their homes and invite good luck in. These beans are either thrown out of the door or at a representation of an evil spirit- normally a member of the family, wearing an oni mask- whilst chanting “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” or “Demons out! Luck in!” It is also traditional to eat a roasted soybean for each year of your life, plus an extra one for the coming year, to bring good health.
Soybeans are a ubiquitous part of Japanese cuisine, used in the production of tofu, soy sauce and miso amongst other foodstuffs. To commemorate Setsubun we’ve combined puréed soybeans and miso paste to make gojiru, a thick warming soup, full of vegetables, that’s sure to bring you health for the whole of the year.
kakuni 