Friday, February 3, 2012

setsubun (bean-throwing festival)



Every year on February 3, Japan celebrates the seasonal division between winter and spring (they obviously weren't thinking of Hokkaido when they divided up the year). This day, which we call Setsubun, comes with a lot of delightful traditions, one of which is the bean-throwing ritual called mame-maki. Etegami at this time of year often make some reference to this ritual. I've posted two of the many etegami I painted to mark this year's Setsubun. The Japanese writing on the one showing a pod of green peas says "Spring is closer now than it was yesterday." The one showing a pod of hibernating Daruma-shaped beans is the latest addition to my daruma series, and is meant to make you smile.

Mame (pronounced mah-meh) means "bean," and mame used as an adjective means a small or compact version of a thing. For example, mame chishiki, an often-used phrase, literally means "bean knowledge," but is used for trivia or quaint little facts about something. And mame denkyuu (literally "bean light bulbs") refers to tiny light bulbs like those used for Christmas tree lights. So, what does mame zen mean? Or does it mean anything? Or does it even matter?

5 comments:

  1. I also cerebrated the setsubun. I ate many beans and I was so full.

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  2. Oh wow! My kind of ritual!!! They actually throw beans? If it was here in my area, that would be big trouble. People won't be able to contain themselves to just throwing beans!

    Beautiful art, Debbie. OMG! The pin you gave me is sooooooooooo cute and beautiful! I love, love it so much. Thank you. I showed your art to my daughter and I had to stop her from owning them. :) Thank you again!!!!

    Tsup!

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  3. Love the Daruma mame! I really looked forward to Setsubun this year and enjoyed both the role of the oni and the fun of throwing the beans. Hope your Setsubun was delightful.

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  4. I wish I could catch up on all that I've missed! I do love the faces on these mame's though.

    Thanks for your visits. I think going back to work full time is disagreeable to making art :(

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  5. 昨日よりも、春が近い。
    いい言葉ねー。
    前向きー。
    きょうの、新聞では、世界中どこもかしこも、雪、雪、雪。死亡する人まで出る、寒さとか。ここ、UAEの北でも先週は、雪。3月の真ん中くらいから、じりじりと、
    温度は、あがりはじめて、4月には、エアコンをいれることになります。いまがしばしの、幸せ時期。
    すばらしい絵手紙の数々いつも、楽しみにしてるわよん。

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