What is Setsubun?
Setsubun is an annual event held on the day before Risshun, the day before the first day of spring, since Risshun used to be considered the beginning of the year (New Year in the lunar calendar).
Setsubun is an event to drive out “bad things” with a wish to “stay healthy for the whole year.
Setsubun originally referred to the day before Risshun, Risshatsu, Risshuu, and Risshunyu, which come four times a year. However, over time, only the day before Risshun, which marks the beginning of the year and was cherished by many, came to be called Setsubun. It is an event to drive out bad things, eat auspicious foods, and welcome the new season.
Setsubun in 2025 will be on Sunday, February 2.
Setsubun-soba” is a type of zaru-soba eaten on Setsubun as a purifying food.
Setsubun soba has been passed down since the Edo period (1603-1868) as a food of good luck like beans and ehomaki (sushi rolls).
Originally, it was a nationwide custom, but now it has been loved uninterruptedly, especially in Nagano and Shimane prefectures, which are famous for soba.
Setsubun Soba is associated with the following wishes
To live a long and thin life like Soba.
To live strong and tough like soba, which is strong against bad weather.
To cut off bad luck in favor of soba because it is easy to slice and chew with chopsticks.
Soba is a special food for people in the past because it was familiar to them and brought them good luck.
Rich in nutrients and stably harvested, soba has been inseparable from the Japanese people since ancient times!