Kindergartners bravely chase off oni (demons) at Chiisaki Hana Kindergarten’s bean throwing festival

Translated from the original article at: http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130202-00000301-rtn-l26

Transmitted at 4:19 PM on Saturday, February 2 by the Ryoutan Daily Shinbun

“I’m defeated!” The oni flee, their arms raised after the kindergartners unleash their devastating attack.

At Hooji, Fukuchiyama City's Chiisaki Hana Kindergarten held a Setsubun bean throwing event on February 1^st (Kuniko Sanaka is Principle of the school's 151 students).  Throwing "beans" created from crumpled up paper, the children were able to bravely drive off the frightening oni.

The children were gathered in a play room, singing the lyrics to "The Demon's Pants". From outside the room, the "don don" of taiko drums could be heard, quickly becoming quite loud. A moment later, the doors burst open. Barging in were a couple of parents dressed up as oni.

　

With horns and large, shining fangs growing from their frightening faces, the children were startled by the sight of the oni. All at once, they escaped to the middle of a "safety zone" which the oni could not enter.

"The oni are outside, let's go over there." Led by the oldest kindergartners who were a bit used to the oni, they moved in a vanguard formation with the mid-aged children. The youngest continued behind them. Protecting a crying girl, the boys stood before the Oni.

Hit with a countless number of beans, the Oni yelled out in surrender and ran for their lives with their arms raised. Afterwards, the kindergartners yelled out "Yatta!" celebrating their victory.

Original text:

園児が勇ましく鬼を追い払う　小さき花幼稚園で節分の豆まき

両丹日日新聞 2月2日(土)16時19分配信

園児たちの猛攻に「まいった」。両手を上げて鬼が退散

福知山市報恩寺の小さき花幼稚園（佐中邦子園長、１５１人）で１日、節分の豆まき行事があり、園児らが怖い鬼たちに紙を丸めて作った「豆」を勇ましくぶつけて追い払った。

遊戯室に集まった園児たちが童謡「鬼のパンツ」を歌っていると、部屋の外から太鼓の音が「ドン、ドン」。音はだんだん速く大きくなって鳴りやんだ。次の瞬間、扉が開いて、保護者が扮した鬼たちが乱入した。

角を生やし、大きな牙が光る怖い顔に園児たちは騒然。鬼が入れない安全地帯の囲いの中に一斉に逃げ込んだ。

少し慣れてくると年長児、年中児たちが「鬼は外」「あっち行って」と先陣を切り、年少児も続いた。泣く女の子を守ろうと鬼の前に立ちはだかる男の子たちもいた。

無数の豆をくらった鬼は両手を上げて「まいった」と一目散に逃げ帰り、最後は園児たちが「やったー」と勝利を喜んだ。