Chinese New Year 2024 starts on Febuary 10. According to Chinese astrology, 2024 is the year of the Green Wood Dragon. This years’ Spring Festival holiday is held from Feburuary 10 through 17 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year). In the traditional Chinese calendar, a year is divided into 24 solar terms and the first term is known as lichun in Chinese and risshun in Japanese (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichun). Therefore, in the calendar, the first day of spring is lichun or risshun. Risshun in 2024 in the lunisolar calendar was February 4 in Japan.
Setsubun (literally meaning “seasonal division”) is the day before the first day of spring, risshun, in the traditional calendar in Japan. Winter ends on the day of setsubun. Setsubun in 2024 was February 3 in Japan. Some rituals are held on the day to drive away evil spirits and welcome good fortune. One common ritual is “bean throwing.” People throw roasted soybeans out from the front door of their homes or shrines while shouting “Devils out! Fortune in!” You need to roast soybeans to kill off all evil spirits. If you use live soybeans, they might grow buds, implying something bud things might happen to you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun; https://www.seattle.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/2021_Setsubun.html
Another ritual is the eating of the “lucky direction sushi roll” The sushi roll is composed of seven ingredients considered to be lucky. The ritual consists of eating the uncut entire roll without speaking while facing the direction considered to be auspicious that year (east-northeast in 2024), determined by the Chinese zodiac.
(in Japanese) https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/39_13_osaka.html; https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/culture/wagohan/articles/2301/spe13_04.html