My Valentine and I enjoy the New Years Sumo Tournament in Tokyo.Six more weeks of winter! That was the big news from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2, 2009 when Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, emerged from his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob and supposedly saw his shadow, scaring him enough to run back inside.
According to legend, the same Punxsutawney Phil has been about the weather-predicting business for 120 years! This year 13,000 people gathered for the momentous news event. Some who have endured one of the most vicious American winters in their recent memories went home very disappointed to learn that the famous groundhog predicts it’s going to be some time yet before they can retire their winter coats for this season.
In this country, rather than watching for Phil on February 2, Japanese are watching out for roasted soybeans and evil spirits on February 3, the month’s first eventful day. Called Setsubun, this day marks the start of spring—no matter what the weather is like (and no matter what Phil says). Setsubun is best known for the ritual of mamemaki—walking through your house to throw handfuls of the hard beans at any evil spirits that might be lurking in order to drive them out. Often times, parents of younger children will don paper devil’s masks to give their little ones a moving target and a little more fun. But you have to watch out. Those little beans can pack a mighty punch (in more ways than one!).
February 11 is the month’s only national holiday—Foundation Day. Emperor Jimmu is said to have founded Japan on this date back in 660 BC, but it took until 1872 before the country decided to make it a national holiday. Then the day was called Empire Day, resulting in it being banned after World War II in response to Japan’s imperialistic fervor that had emerged and subjugated much of Southeast Asia. The national holiday was reintroduced in 1966 with new softer emphasis on the nation’s founding.
Finally comes Valentine’s Day on February 14. But the Japanese have “Japanized” this celebration of love. In Japan, it’s only the women who are expected to mark the day by giving chocolates to at least some of the men in their lives. Interestingly, while they probably won’t give chocolates to their husbands, they’ll give some to their male co-workers. Lest you think they’re having affairs at the office, they’re most likely just upholding the tradition of giri choco, which translates as “obligation chocolates”.
For this wife at home, Valentine’s Day in Japan means that on the evening of February 14, Bernie will bring home a lot of delicious chocolate from his female faculty and staff at Tamagawa Seigakuin. I won’t mind it one bit, though my waistline will probably groan. But don’t worry! I’ve long ago perfected the solution: eat it all as quickly as possible so that the “pain” is kept to a minimum of days. Mmmmmm! I can’t wait.
According to legend, the same Punxsutawney Phil has been about the weather-predicting business for 120 years! This year 13,000 people gathered for the momentous news event. Some who have endured one of the most vicious American winters in their recent memories went home very disappointed to learn that the famous groundhog predicts it’s going to be some time yet before they can retire their winter coats for this season.
In this country, rather than watching for Phil on February 2, Japanese are watching out for roasted soybeans and evil spirits on February 3, the month’s first eventful day. Called Setsubun, this day marks the start of spring—no matter what the weather is like (and no matter what Phil says). Setsubun is best known for the ritual of mamemaki—walking through your house to throw handfuls of the hard beans at any evil spirits that might be lurking in order to drive them out. Often times, parents of younger children will don paper devil’s masks to give their little ones a moving target and a little more fun. But you have to watch out. Those little beans can pack a mighty punch (in more ways than one!).
February 11 is the month’s only national holiday—Foundation Day. Emperor Jimmu is said to have founded Japan on this date back in 660 BC, but it took until 1872 before the country decided to make it a national holiday. Then the day was called Empire Day, resulting in it being banned after World War II in response to Japan’s imperialistic fervor that had emerged and subjugated much of Southeast Asia. The national holiday was reintroduced in 1966 with new softer emphasis on the nation’s founding.
Finally comes Valentine’s Day on February 14. But the Japanese have “Japanized” this celebration of love. In Japan, it’s only the women who are expected to mark the day by giving chocolates to at least some of the men in their lives. Interestingly, while they probably won’t give chocolates to their husbands, they’ll give some to their male co-workers. Lest you think they’re having affairs at the office, they’re most likely just upholding the tradition of giri choco, which translates as “obligation chocolates”.
For this wife at home, Valentine’s Day in Japan means that on the evening of February 14, Bernie will bring home a lot of delicious chocolate from his female faculty and staff at Tamagawa Seigakuin. I won’t mind it one bit, though my waistline will probably groan. But don’t worry! I’ve long ago perfected the solution: eat it all as quickly as possible so that the “pain” is kept to a minimum of days. Mmmmmm! I can’t wait.
