Sunday, February 4

8:14:00 PM

Yesterday was the Japanese festival of Setsubun.
Which is all about casting the bad spirits and demons out of your home.
In japanese the word for demon is ''oni''.
These demons are quite scary things that are basically beefed up monsters.
usually blue or red.


And in order to get rid of these demons out of your house, or in the case of these photos, nursery, is to throw beans and peanuts at them.
This repels the demons and makes it impossible for them to enter.
All the while you shout ''Out with demons, in with luck''


So at the nursery.
The children were told that the demons would be coming and they would have to protect the nursery. So each kid was given bag of peanuts. And they got ready to fight.

Now I hadn't seen the big demon guys before.
And I won't try and act all macho,
but when I first turned round and saw them come into the hall.
I was a bit scared, or shocked.
I dunno.


Anyways, the kids started hitting the demons, and the demons tried to catch the kids.
The highlight was when one of the demons ''kidnapped'' one of the teachers.
And all the students ran to help her.
very very cute.


but the big scary demons weren't for everyone.


They'll be having nightmares for weeks.