Jon-kun,
Thank you for the oshirase (announcement)!
Have fun!image: http://allabout.co.jp/children/netkidslearning/ 
closeup/CU20030113A/


鬼（おに）は外（そと）、福（ふく）は内（うち）！
The literal meaning of the words is something like "Demons (or evil  
spirits) out! Luck (or blessing) in!"

If you want to know more about  豆まき，here is the good site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamemaki_No_Hi

 From the site above:


Setsubun
 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Japan, Setsubun (節分) is the day before the beginning of each  
season. The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the  
term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun (立春),  
celebrated yearly on February 3. In its association with the Lunar  
New Year, Spring Setsubun can be thought of (and indeed was  
previously thought of) as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was  
accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the  
former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirts for the year  
to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (lit. bean scattering).



Mamemaki

Mamemaki is usually performed by the toshiotoko of the household  
(i.e. the male who was born on the corresponding animal year on the  
chinese zodiac), or else the male head of the household. Pan-heated  
soybeans (called irimame) are thrown either out the door or at a  
member of the family wearing an Oni (demon or evil spirit) mask,  
while the throwers chant "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" (鬼は外! 福 
は内!). The literal meaning of the words is something like "Demons  
(or evil spirits) out! Luck (or blessing) in!" The beans are thought  
to symbolically purify the home by driving away the evil spirits that  
bring misfortune and bad health with them. Then, as part of bringing  
luck in, it is customary eat soybeans, one for each year of one's  
life, and in some areas, one for each year of one's life, plus one  
more for bringing good luck for the year to come. In the Heian era, a  
famous Buddhist monk was said to have driven away oni by throwing beans.



-- 
Mutsumi Corson
Japanese Language Program
University of Vermont
479 Main Street
Burlington, Vermont 05405
phone: 802-656-1117
fax:   802-656-8472
email:  [log in to unmask]


On Feb 2, 2007, at 7:46 PM, Jonathan Tinkham wrote:

> Hello Everyone,
>
> 	Sorry this is last minute, but tomorrow the Japanese House will be  
> celebrating Mamemaki in the Living/Learning Center. For those of  
> you who don't know, Mamemaki is a Japanese holiday where we throw  
> beans inside and outside to purify our residence. We'll be starting  
> the celebration at 2:00pm tomorrow (Saturday 2/3) in the  
> International Lounge in B-High.
>
> 	If you're stressed out, you should come! The only chance you get  
> to throw beans at people in the name of a holiday.
>
> 	Please Come! We'll be putting the demons outside and bring good  
> fortune in!
>
> Jonathan Tinkham