In an upper world where gods live, just after winter solstice is the first New Year.
It means a new born baby of the Sun. It is still quiet and weak.
After that, spring Setsu-bun(February 3 or 4) is the second New Year.
It is a solid Sun like a stable neck baby.
The Sun begins to start its real activity from spring Setsu-bun.
There is a New Year's celebration between the two Sun events.
Setsu-bun means a turning point of the year.
Spring Setsu-bun, around February 3
Summer Setsu-bun, around May 6
Autumn Setsu-bun, around August 8
and Winter Setsu-bun, around November 7
Each Setsubun divides Japan's 4 seasons but Spring one is especially special as the second New Year of God's world.
Japanese people scatter roasted soy beans in all over house while shouting like this.
"Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!"
(Go away bad luck, Come on good fortune)
After throwing, people clean the beans in a house and they find hidden dusts too.
It is an important point in Spring Setsubun.
Cleaning is Japanese most important thing.
It purifies house itself, inside of brain of family member and future.
Normally, it is said that Oni is an angry monster in Japan.
It is not true.
In a spiritual view point, Oni punish people just when they are bad.
Oni is a strict father with love.
I'll explain about the other aspect of Spring Setsubun culture.
Roasted soy beans represent a kind of curse.
Hot roasted beans never grow because these are already dead.
In Japanese myth, innocent Susanoo, god of sea and land was exiled from the God-world by mean gods.
(Oni was derived from Susanoo)
But it was a totally false accusation.
So, mean gods wanted to seal Susanoo by beans that never grow.
It was a containment in bullying.
Therefore, scattering beans is not so important culture in Shinto.
But Japanese need to keep the culture because it is unique and interesting thing to reminds them of Susanoo.
And one more thing, roasted beans never beat Susanoo
because he was very sacred, innocent and higher level than mean gods.
In events in relation to the Sun, Japanese do Kamidana and Butsudan with their all heart more than usual.
(Shinto, nature worship especially for the Sun)
Kamidana = Giving a relay point for nature gods who protect the area
Butsudan = Effective memorial ritual for own ancestors = DNA care and removing invisible, bad spiritual handicaps in each family line
Spring Setsu-bun event in Japanese kindergarten
People make Futomaki-zushi, a kind of rolled sushi on spring Setsu-bun.
This is not meaningless in Shinto(nature worship), but popular culture in Japan.
Some people put "Hiiragi-Iwashi" ornament at the "entrance".
Evils hate holly tree's thorns and smoke of grilled fish.
Spiritual defense for an entrance is Japan’s important white magic.
New Year's ornament kadomatsu and Shimenawa-Kazari are well known