Tokyo snowfall
Monday 3rd was the traditional Setsubun festival when families with young children exorcise bad luck from their homes by means of the “mame make” or “bean throwing” ritual. While throwing dried soy beans around the home the children shout “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi,” which means “Demons (bad luck) out, good luck in!”
The weather that day was strangely and unseasonably warm, like it was the end of the world or something. But the next day, Tuesday 4th, it was very cold with a light cold rain that turned to snowfall in mid-afternoon. Except for Monday it was really cold this week, and today, on Saturday 8th, we woke up to falling snow and a thick layer on the ground. Then it continued snowing steadily all day long and didn't stop until late at night.