GARDENA — Come celebrate the Japanese tradition of Setsubun on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute’s Nisei Veterans Memorial Hall, 1964 W. 162^ndSt. in Gardena.

The event will include fun crafts, mamemaki (bean-throwing), and yummy treats. It is geared toward kids but all ages are welcome.

Parents/guardians just viewing the event do not have to pay.

Setsubun (節分, “seasonal division”) is a festival held on Feb. 3 or 4, one day before the start of spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. For centuries, the people of Japan have been performing rituals with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits at the start of spring.

In modern days, the most commonly performed setsubun ritual is the throwing of roasted beans around one’s house and at temples and shrines across the country. When throwing the beans, you are supposed to shout “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (“Devils out, happiness in”).

For more information, call (310) 324-6611 or email [email protected]. To register, go online to: https://gvjci.wufoo.com/forms/setsubun-2020/

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