Oni Out, Fortune In: A roundup of J-pop you’ll want to listen to during Setsubun
Setsubun, a seasonal tradition long cherished as a hallmark of February.
From bean-throwing to eating ehomaki, it’s an event that lets you fully savor the feeling of the season.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of Japanese songs themed around Setsubun to make this fun event even livelier! We’ve picked a variety of tracks, from cute tunes you can sing with little kids to J-pop numbers that feature motifs like oni (ogres) and fuku (good fortune).
You’re sure to find a song that will add even more color to your seasonal festivities!
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“Demons Out, Fortune In”: Japanese songs to listen to on Setsubun. Recommended J‑Pop roundup (21–30)
Yoyogi ParkMayumura Chiaki
It’s a heartwarming song that makes you once again feel happy about the time you spend with friends and loved ones.
The singer is Chiaki Mayumura, a singer-songwriter who calls herself a singer-songwriter/track-making idol, and who also runs her own management company while performing.
The lyrics portray a child bewildered by an irregular situation—getting interviewed while eating an ehomaki in Yoyogi Park—and you can’t help but feel all warm and fuzzy.
Hearing this track might make many people spontaneously look back on their childhood and think, “I used to love making and eating ehomaki at home.”
National Sake-Drinking Festival Song of Japanbarakūda
The song “Nihon Zenkoku Sakenomi Ondo” turns any situation into a reason to drink.
Although it was released in 1979, it’s often used in commercials—sometimes as a parody—so many people have probably heard it.
As the song lists reasons to drink from January onward, it naturally celebrates February too, happily citing Setsubun as an excuse to drink.
Setsubun beans are meant to be thrown to drive away demons.
But perhaps, like in the song, many people simply crunch on them as a snack and call their Setsubun complete.
“Demons Out, Good Fortune In”: Japanese songs to listen to on Setsubun. Recommended J‑Pop roundup (31–40)
Kapuin addictionYozora Meru
This is a song by virtual idol Yozora Mel, who is active on YouTube and popular for her sweet voice and gentle way of speaking.
In “Kapuwin Addiction,” she sings about a lively Halloween scene.
It even includes a Setsubun reference, with lines like, “Don’t tell me to have only as many as my age like Setsubun beans—give me more sweets!” The custom of eating the same number of beans as your age on Setsubun is said to come from the belief that you can take in as much good fortune as your years.
Who would have thought a Halloween song would make us double-check how many beans we’re supposed to eat?
Oni RangerMitsuru & Ryouta
Mitsuru & Ryota are a duo known as the Gymnastics & Singing Big Brothers, traveling all over Japan and gaining popularity with their friendly original play songs and exercises.
In January 2021, they released a Setsubun song that parents and children can enjoy together, titled “Oni Ranger.” It’s included on the album “Everyday ‘Heart-to-Heart’ Play Best,” and in the music video introduced in this article, they also showcase their signature original exercises.
With its tokusatsu-style vibe and catchy rhythm, it’s perfect for the Setsubun season every year—so be sure to try the exercises with your kids while listening to this song!
oni; demon; ogre; spirit (depending on context)Seikima II
Seikima-II, one of Japan’s representative heavy metal bands, are well known for their claim of being a “cult” that uses music as a means to propagate “devil worship.” Their vocalist Demon Kogure, who boasts exceptional singing ability and expressive power, is also a household favorite thanks to his distinctive character.
On their seventh original album, Restaurant of Fear, released in 1992, there’s a track aptly titled Oni (Demon).
Centered around a heavy, ominous guitar riff, it’s hellish heavy metal through and through, and Kogure’s piercing high-tone shouts leave a tremendous impact.
The live staging is the very embodiment of “oni,” so be sure to experience a hellish Setsubun along with the video!
I’m a celeb!Sugisaki Miku (Saitō Chiwa)
“I’m So Fab!” is a character song for Miku Sugisaki, a character from the gag manga Mitsudomoe.
While mocking conveyor-belt sushi and bragging about her dad’s friends, she haughtily sings, “I’m not like commoners,” and the song also depicts a bean-throwing scene.
Seeing Setsubun as “a fun party where you just keep throwing beans” seems pretty unusual—whether or not you’re wealthy.
It really makes you curious about what bean-throwing is actually like in affluent households, doesn’t it?
Laura’s Scarred BodyGōruden Bonbā
It’s a song by Golden Bomber filled with the lament of someone in love: despite not meeting on Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or a birthday—days couples would normally spend together—they’ll go on a date for Setsubun.
The sorrow of a man being used by the person he likes feels somehow both poignant and painful, doesn’t it? There probably aren’t many couples who go on a special date “because it’s Setsubun.” Even the oni (demons) would never have imagined that Setsubun would be used as an episode symbolizing a sad romance.