2015.2.3

Today is setsubun (節分), which literally means divide the season. Therefore there are four setsubun in a year. But when we say setsubun, it means the one divides winter and spring.
On this day we scatter the roasted beans by saying "Oni ha soto, fuku ha uchi (鬼は外、福は内)" meaning evils out fortunes in.
This year is a year of sheep, and those who were born in the year of sheep are called toshi otoko (年男) for men and toshi onna (年女) for women.  Some of them are invited by shrines or temples and scatter beans to drive evils.

We eat the same number of beans as our real age wishing the good health of the year.

The custom of eating a big sushi roll calked ehomaki (恵方巻), literally fortunate direction roll is getting popular these days.
I ate them for lunch today.

2015.2.2

It was fine.  Mt.Fuji looked beautiful.

I could get up early this morning.

I usually buy my lunch on my way to the office at the nearby supermarket.  This morning I found cheeze with umeshiso(梅しそ), plum and perilla flavour, which is quite new to me, so I bought it to taste. At lunchtime two of my roommates were together and they also showed interest. Therefore I shared it with them and they liked it too.
Umeshiso is sour and it is a standard item for the ingredient of onigiri(おにぎり) , riceball. Onigiri is also called omusubi(おむすび).  It is a handy foods with wide variety of ingredients                                            and very popular for picnic lunch.                                                                                                                               

2015.2.1

It was very cold but fine today.
Mt. Fuji looked so beautiful.

I went to Kimono-style Miya for Kimono lesson in the morning.
And I went to see a movie "Annie" and I liked it very much.

At night there was a meeting for local representatives.

After that I went grocery shopping. I wanted to go to bank ATM but it was already closed.