[Setsubun Song] Demons out, fortune in! Bean-throwing songs to enjoy on Setsubun
February brings Setsubun.
Setsubun is a traditional event, passed down to the general public since the Edo period, in which beans are scattered to drive away evil and invite good fortune.
In this article, we’ll introduce songs themed around Setsubun and oni (ogres)! We’ve gathered not only classics like the children’s songs “Mame-maki” and “Oni no Pantsu,” but also songs often sung at kindergartens and nursery schools during Setsubun, as well as Japanese pop songs perfect for listening to on Setsubun.
If you’re especially looking for songs to enjoy with children during Setsubun, be sure to check these out! Let’s make the most of Setsubun and invite good fortune in!
- [February Songs] Introducing children's songs, folk songs, nursery rhymes, and hand-play songs about Setsubun and winter!
- Oni Out, Fortune In: A roundup of J-pop you’ll want to listen to during Setsubun
- Summary of songs with the 'Momotaro' motif and tracks featuring peaches or ogres
- Nursery rhymes to sing in spring: a collection of classic songs you'll want to sing with your children
- Children’s songs for Hinamatsuri: A collection of songs everyone can sing together for the Doll Festival
- [Fun] A Collection of Children’s Songs Featuring “Ghosts”
- Hand-play songs to sing for Hinamatsuri. Songs everyone can enjoy.
- March nursery rhymes & hand play songs! Spring songs you can enjoy with your kids
- Recommended for daycare activities! A Halloween song you can sing and play with
- Parody Versions of the Children's Song “Oshōgatsu” | Hilarious and Not-So-Hilarious!? Check Out the Shocking Lyrics!
- [Hinamatsuri Songs] A roundup of classic Girls’ Day tunes and unexpected Hinamatsuri tracks
- Collection of winter nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs. Includes fun winter hand-play songs too.
- [Let's Enjoy Japanese Festival Songs!] Songs about festivals. Famous songs related to festivals.
Setsubun Song: Demons Out, Fortune In! Bean-Throwing Songs to Hear on Setsubun (1–10)
Ogre PantsSakushisha: fushō
When it comes to ogres, this is the song that comes to mind! It’s often used in commercials as a parody, but originally it’s a song called “Funiculì Funiculà,” composed in the 1880s for an Italian funicular railway advertisement.
Seiji Tanaka released a single that sets the “Ogre’s Pants” lyrics to this melody as a parody song.
Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue OgreBito Isao
Speaking of Setsubun, we think of ogres, and ogres usually conjure an image of harming people.
But the red ogre and blue ogre that appear in this song show us a delightfully humorous side as they dance a frenzy of tango under the moonlight.
The chorus, in particular, is richly tinged with tango and brims with passion.
The vocals are performed by Isao Bito, and the song was broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta.”
Oni RangerMitsuru & Ryouta
From the title, it sounds like a song that would make boys’ eyes sparkle.
If they listen to it, they might volunteer to play the ogre for Setsubun—but if we throw beans, we might end up getting vanquished instead.
There’s a dance too, so give it a try!
Ready, set—Setsubun!Kumagai Tatsurou
On the YouTube channel of Maruyanagi Oguraya Co., Ltd., a company that handles bean-related foods, this fun song about Setsubun has been released.
Titled “Se-no de Setsubun,” it features a catchy chant using the English word for soybeans, “soy.” The lyrics also include counting numbers and the classic Setsubun phrase “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi” (“Demons out, good fortune in”), making it a song kids can enjoy singing along to.
Surprisingly, Tatsuro Kumagai of the rock band Watanabe Flower wrote and composed the song.
A Demon Parent and ChildMasuda Hiroko
A perfect fingerplay song for Setsubun, “Oni no Oyako” features a family of three ogres: Dad Ogre, Mom Ogre, and Child Ogre.
The song introduces the horns that each of the three has on their heads.
What sizes are their horns, and how powerful is the lightning they can flash depending on those sizes? The lyrics sing about each one’s unique traits.
As you sing, you use your hands to make horns and to create lightning.
It’s especially fun to sing together as a family, matching the ogre family in the song!
