[AWV🦊] Throw beans for luck and Free Sci-Fi / Fantasy Books
Feb 03, 2026 1:01 pm
Greetings dear Chroniclers,
Today, February 3, is Setsubun in Japan, also known as the Bean Throwing Festival.
(Photo by Alimughni on Freepik)
Setsubun marks the beginning of spring and a time of new beginnings.
The word mame (bean) also sounds like saying "between the eyes" and goes back to a legend from Kurama (north of Kyoto) where an oni was defeated by throwing beans at it. There are so many fun puns like this if you look closely at Japanese culture.
In modern-day Japan, shrines hold special ceremonies where priests and sometimes maiko and geiko (geisha) throw packets of beans for the crowd to catch and eat as many beans as they are years old. (It was fun to see several shrines and temples mentioned that I've visited: Kurama-dera (a temple), Fushimi Inari Taisha, and Kitano Tenmangu)
Families participate in Setsubun, by throwing beans outside (or throwing beans at one of the parents who dons an oni mask) and shouting "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (“Oni out! Good luck In!") .
To read more, check out these articles https://www.justonecookbook.com/setsubun/
https://kyoto.travel/en/travel-inspiration/setsubun-festival/
What are you waiting for? Go grab some dried beans, toss them out the door, and shout “Oni out! Good luck In!"
Free Books
WANTED UNIVERSAL CODERS Secret Organisation, The 23, seeks a long-term relationship with gifted people. Discretion and the ability to think differently are essential. Grey morality is desirable. Excellent job satisfaction. No need to apply… We’ll find you.
Eighteen-year-old Becca is a regular kid. At least on the outside. Everything is fine until she dials 9-1-1 after waking up from a terrifying vision of the future. The cops come banging at her door at midnight, but she can't open or leave the house. There's a man in her room with a strange blade, staring at her with his red eyes.
Free stories in the Liminal Chronicles universe are available for a limited time. So grab them while you can.
Be the Difference. Be extraordinary.
All the best,
Amy
Sharing is caring!
Do you know someone who'd like to get my updates, too? Go ahead, forward this. If the email was forwarded to you and you haven't joined yet, the sign up is right here.
You are receiving this email because you opted to receive updates on Amy Winters-Voss' books (including the Liminal Chronicles Series).
P.S. If your email blocks the links in this message, here are the URLs. Just copy and paste them into a browser tab. (FYI for openness, I've chosen branded links so I can see what's of most interest to my readers. That's all I want from the info!)
- Setsubun https://www.justonecookbook.com/setsubun/ and https://kyoto.travel/en/travel-inspiration/setsubun-festival/
- Dimensions https://dl.bookfunnel.com/27sr9i3p3v?tid=bp1av9myvj
- Becca, Princess of Sona https://dl.bookfunnel.com/2iihb832gh?tid=60amrh8v3w
- Free books giveaway # 1
- https://books.bookfunnel.com/februaryfantasyscifi/fxlaj0j9v6
- Free books giveaway #2
- https://bookfunnel.amywintersvoss.com/free_books_friday_2026/ej2dkrjv67
- Free Liminal Chronicles Stories: https://go.liminalchronicles.com/freebies
This newsletter © 2026 Amy Winters-Voss. All rights reserved. Cover images copyright the respective authors.
