Oni Out, Fortune In: A roundup of J-pop you’ll want to listen to during Setsubun

We’ll take care of the demon here.Shinzawa Toshihiko

We’ll Take In the Oni at Our Place (Lyrics by Toshihiko Shinzawa / Music by Hirotaka Nakagawa) — A Setsubun Song / February Song

“Oni wa Uchi de Hikiuketa” by Toshihiko Niizawa and Hirotaka Nakagawa is a song full of surprise and kindness that proposes welcoming the disliked oni (ogre) into the home.

Although it’s known as the title track of the January 2007 release in the “12 Months of Songs” series—February: Oni wa Uchi de Hikiuketa—it has in fact been a beloved classic in preschools and childcare settings since the 1990s.

Set to a light waltz, its warm worldview turns fear into laughter, which is part of its charm.

This piece beautifully complements Setsubun bean-throwing festivities at schools and at home—why not sing it together as a family?

Cafe de Oni (Face and Science)Denki Gurūvu

Denki Groove 'Cafe de Oni (Face and Science)'}

This is a track by Denki Groove that delivers a powerful impact.

Included on the best-of album “SINGLES and STRIKES,” released in March 2004, it’s a remake that boldly reconstructs an early song from the 1991 album “FLASH PAPA,” from the lyrics to the sound.

Its hard-edged techno beat and enigmatic phrases are irresistibly addictive.

Let’s ward off bad vibes with some surreal laughs!

From the demonZa・Omedeta-zu

The Omedataz – Stronger Than a Demon [Official Audio]

Have you ever thought about how the “oni,” the targets of bean-throwing, might feel? Released in January 2025 by The Omedeta’s, a collective that celebrates everyday life, this track offers a unique take on Setsubun from the demon’s point of view! It transforms the unfairness and sorrow of being pelted with beans into an unexpectedly happy hip-hop groove.

You can’t help but chuckle at the oni bravely facing a senseless tradition.

This Setsubun, why not play this song, dance together with the person playing the oni, and turn up the fun?

Bean Squad BibinbeanHanada Yuuichirou, Ono Atsuko, Kobayashi Yoshihisa, Uehara Risa

Bean Squadron Bibin Bean / The Beans’ Sharp Dance! A popular song from Okaasan to Issho COVER: Otousan to Issho · Yoko Ueno

A bean-themed sentai (superhero team) song that aired on NHK E-Tele’s “Okaasan to Issho” as the October 2017 “Song of the Month,” it stunned viewers with its outrageously over-the-top humor.

Performed by Yuichiro Hanada, Atsuko Ono, Yoshihisa Kobayashi, and Risa Uehara—who fully become bean heroes as they sing and dance—this piece truly left a historic impact on the show.

It’s included on the album “Okaasan to Issho Latest Best: Panpakapanpanpaan.” Why not get the whole family pumped up with this song around Setsubun?

NIPPONDONGROSSO

DONGROSSO / NIPPON

DONGROSSO, a collaboration between Shinichi Osawa of MONDO GROSSO and the rap duo Dongurizu, sublimates Japanese traditions and culture into dance music through their own unique lens.

This track is a distinctive piece that, over a minimal techno beat, repeatedly riffs on “Japanese” elements—New Year’s, Setsubun, seasonal events, and even food culture.

Its charm lies in letting you sway your body while savoring the sound of the words.

Perfect for when you want to spend a Setsubun that’s a little out of the ordinary!

Demon, Demon, Demonmegamegami

Megamegami “Oni Oni Oni” MV

Released in March 2020, this work is an intense number that fuses a fierce rock sound with a theatrical worldview.

As the title—three instances of the character for “oni” (demon)—suggests, it features spell-like phrases that seem to summon the uncanny and a rousing rhythm that whips listeners into a frenzy.

I love how it hits your ears and mind with a solid punch! It’s a fiery piece that might even make the hand tossing beans start moving like it’s headbanging.

oni; demon; ogre; spirit (depending on context)yonseikyu

oni; demon; ogre; spirit (depending on context)

This piece, included on the album “Futen no Hana” released in January 2011 by Su-xing-cyu (a comic band based in Tokushima), humorously portrays inner conflicts and everyday pressures.

The lyrics, which call our daily little obsessions “demons” and turn them into gags, will make you burst out laughing.

But it’s not just funny—the heartfelt desire not to be swept along by those around us really resonates.

How about playing this track along with your bean-throwing this Setsubun and laughing away the timid little demons in your heart?