LDK: setsubun

setsubun

03.02.04

Posted by Jun
[ Event ]

今日は節分。子供の頃、教室で先生とクラスメート全員で殻付きピーナツを投げたなぁ。年齢の数しか食べちゃダメなんてルールにガックリしてたけど、今となっては食べるのも数えるのもツライほどの年齢。ビックリなのが群馬県鬼石町。全国から追い出された鬼を迎えて入れているそうです。かけ声は「福は内、鬼は内」。寛大なココロです。

Today is Setsubun. When I was a kid, we threw peanuts with shell in a classroom on Setsubun. We meant to eat the same number of beans as our age. Kids get disappointed by this custom, but it's hard to eat/count beans for my age. I was surprised to know that Oni-ishi town in Gunma prefecture welcomes all Oni (evil demons) which are escaped from all over Japan. They shout 'Happiness in! Devils in!' Very lenient!

鬼って嫌われているはずなんだけど、鬼石町のように助けてもらえたり、昔話の最後にわんわん泣いて許してもらったり。1933年に書かれた「ないた赤鬼」(1933年）は、心優しい鬼のお話。人間、鬼が嫌いでもなさそう？憎いけど憎みきれないキャラってやつでしょうか？うちの旦那に鬼を説明するのは難しそうなので、いわゆる鬼ってのを並べてみました。

Oni (evil demons) is supposed to be hated by human, but I think we also have different images from some fairy tales. Sometimes Oni is innocent, kind-hearted and weeps a lot! I wonder if we really hate Oni' charactor. Actually Oni-ishi town helps Oni. No matter what Oni does, it is hard to hate Oni? It is very hard to explain what is Oni, so I chose some typical images of Oni. I hope you can feel a bit.

Jun wrote:

悪い子はオニが許しません！子供たちはオニが（どんな見た目でも？）本当に怖いんだなぁ。 Kids believe that bad kids get punishment by Oni. It seems like they really scare of it. Whatever Oni looks like!

KEIKO LONDON wrote:

Hahaha!! I think the images you collected may confuse the non-Japanese even more!? Especially with the one where they're soaking in an outdoor hotspring! Don't want to offend anyone but I once heard somewhere that the Japanese people many many years ago, when confronted for the first time by European explorers were shocked and terrified of these strangers. They thought these weirdos were some sort of devils. Their fear towards these "huge" giants with strange coloured hair and pinky-red complexion(!! sorry!) turned them into what we know today as Oni. Do you believe it?!

Jun wrote:

Definitely NOT!! I think the origin of Oni can go back to long long time ago. I imagine something like 'Izumo no okuni' period? And also what about blue face one? Namahage' are red and blue. We can also see red and blue skin statues in front of some temples (or shrine?)' gate sometimes. I guess red and blue means something.

Jun wrote:

I found interesting story. Oni' image originated when the twelve Chinese astrological signs were matched with the points of the compass. 'Ox-Tiger' represents the North-East. So the image of Oni was established by combining the distinctive features of the Ox and the Tiger. The upper body resembles the ox and lower body, the tiger. In other words, on his head are the horns of the cow, and he wears shorts with tiger stripes! Check here to find out more. There were also your story, Keiko. I still don't believe it though!