I am going to Hokkaido's Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival) in a few days and I am incredibly excited! Whoo-hoo! The last link didn't work so here is another one-

Friday was a holiday called Setsubun, which meaning changing of the seasons. There are lots of crazy activities on Setsubun such as deciding what your personal demons are, dressing your parents up as a demon to throw beans at and drive out of the house (I think Dad is allowed to come back into the house as long as he takes off the demon costume) and then you have to eat the beans. You also have to eat a long sushi roll while facing a certain direction without talking. Crazy day. I think some of the traditions may have been started because everyone was starting to go crazy after being trapped inside all winter. The really funny thing is that according to the calendar spring started on Saturday. Saturday when it started snowing. Saturday when the sub-zero weather moved in (and has yet to stop). Saturday when the world iced over. Yeah, spring is a little late.

I sortof figure that the snow festival has to have similar beginnings. People start to go a little nutty after so many months inside and a festival (complete with copious amounts of sake) is in order to help make it through the last of the winter weather without mental breakdowns. Celebrations help you forget that the snow is piling up, the tempuratures have dropped, the driveway still needs to be shoveled and you are out of kerosene. Of course, your local pub can serve the same purpose...