Oni wa Soto!

Setsubun Lunch
Nothing really Setsubun-y about it except the beans.

In Olden Tymes (read: Before the White Man Got Here), Setsubun marked the end of the Lunar New Year, and so was something of a New Year's Eve, cleaning out the evil of the old year and bringing in the Spring Season. Nowadays it's something of a fun holiday and another chance for stores to make money selling specially-bagged roasted soy beans and novelty masks.

"Roasted soy beans and masks?!" you say? Yes, dear readers. The masks are worn by one member of the household while one or more of the others throw soy beans at them, chanting "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" "Out with the devil, in with good luck!"

This year, as soon as he saw the masks come out, Joseph wanted to be the Oni. I warned him it might not be as fun as he thought, but he was not to be swayed. Some people just have to try things for themselves.

Once he got inside and calmed down, Joseph thought he might like to have a nice picture of himself with his mask on.

The Calm Before the Storm
Me and Jo, posing in our masks.

According to the back of my mask, 2009's Oni is "Love Oni".