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February marks the start of Setsubun, a festival where people throw beans at demons, shouting "Oni wa soto!" (Demons out!). The custom of expelling demons, which takes place on the day before the beginning of spring, is said to have been introduced from China as an imperial court event during the Heian period.
I think many nurseries and kindergartens prepare "holly sardines," which are sardine heads impaled on holly branches with pointed tips, which are disliked by demons, and throw beans together with the children to forget the cold.
Today's contents: "Setsubun"
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"Out with the demons!"
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"Oni wa toto!" (Demons get out!), as they run away after being pelted with beans, has long been considered a symbol of unimaginable, terrifying power, representing evil spirits (invisible diseases, disasters, famines). Soybeans are hurled at these terrifying demons to ward off evil spirits, but why did they start using soybeans? Soybeans are one of the five grains (rice, wheat, millet, foxtail millet, and beans). Since ancient times, soybeans have been used in Shinto rituals, second only to rice, because they have been considered a food ingredient in which divine spirits reside.
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The soybeans sown on Setsubun must be roasted
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Be sure to prepare roasted soybeans to be sown on Setsubun.
It is said that raw soybeans should not be planted.
The reason why roasted soybeans must be used is because it has been said that if raw beans are scattered, the soybeans used to slay demons and forgotten to be picked up will sprout, bringing bad luck.
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"The number of years plus one grain"
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After the bean throwing, people eat "New Year's beans."
There is a custom of eating roasted soybeans equal to the number of your age plus one, in order to ward off misfortune for the year.
It would be a good idea for nursery schools to include dishes that use soybeans in their lunch menu.
A classic soy dish is boiled beans, but the recipe we're introducing this month is a Western-style version of sole meunière topped with soy mayonnaise sauce.
It's made with boiled soybeans, making it soft and easy to eat. Mixed vegetables add a colorful twist to the dish. It pairs well with the mild-tasting sole meunière, making it a delicious Setsubun dish.
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Soybeans are high in protein
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Soybeans are high in protein and are a food that forms our blood and muscles.
Our ancestors knew its power from experience and used it to process various things such as miso, soy sauce, and tofu.
It would be great if we could include soybeans and soy products, which have been passed down as necessary ingredients even in modern times, in the daily menu and help protect the health of the children from the inside out.
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