Kids Vs. Demons (Setsubun Fun)

First off, apologies for the compression on that pic, apparently even though our cellphone can take huge photos, it will only let us email thumbnail versions of them. Bummer, but Aoi's too cool not to post. So Setsubun is a end-of-winter/beginning-of-spring holiday not unlike Groundhog's Day in the States. Only it involves demons & throwing dried beans at said demons. Kinda silly, but hard to laugh at when you're busy paying attention to a wannabe beaver's shadow.

I got invited to watch the Nonohana pre-school's celebration on Thursday and it was great. Two of the male teachers were in full demon garb - great masks and all, but the pics I got of them were horrible - and the kids were TERRIFIED! It was amazing. Maybe I'm sick, but something about a hundred kids screaming at a guy in mask just really makes me laugh. The other teachers seemed to agree - when they weren't busy comforting the REALLY upset criers. It was pretty awesome all around and I got to follow it up with a killer kindergarten lunch during which I saw one of the biggest - no THE biggest - crybaby bullying another girl. Funny and a little perplexing that she can bounce from teary sweetheart to lil' miss toughstuff so fast.

We followed it up Friday with an actual Setsubun celebration at Iwa Shrine. It was much more mellow than expected. No demons other than white devils to be seen. I was actually pretty bored most of the time. Those kids are a hard act to follow. There was a massive bonfire though so I was alright.

-Mike