Thorns of Holly: The Prickly Protectors of Japanese Homes
If you stroll through the residential streets of Japan in early February, you might stumble upon a peculiar sight pinned to the doorframes of houses. It isn’t a Christmas wreath left out too long, nor is it a Valentine’s decoration. It is a sardine head skewered onto a prickly branch of holly. This is Hiiragi no Toge (Thorns of Holly), often manifested as the talisman Hiiragi Iwashi. While it may look macabre to the uninitiated, this ancient custom is a powerful spiritual barrier designed to protect the home from evil.
As a travel and culture enthusiast, peeling back the layers of Japan’s seasonal festivals reveals a world where nature and the supernatural coexist. Let’s explore the sharp, protective magic of the holly thorn.
The Origins of the Prickle
The tradition of using holly is inextricably linked to Setsubun, the day before the beginning of spring (Risshun) in the old lunar calendar. Historically, seasonal transitions were viewed as dangerous times when the veil between the spirit world and the human world thinned, allowing malevolent spirits, or Oni (demons), to slip through.
The Japanese holly, or Hiiragi (Osmanthus heterophyllus), is distinct from the Western Christmas holly. Its leaves are incredibly rigid and possess jagged, needle-sharp teeth. In ancient Japanese spirituality, sharp objects were believed to possess the power to drive away evil—a concept known as ma-yoke. The name “Hiiragi” itself comes from the archaic verb hiiragu, meaning “to tingle” or “to hurt,” referring to the pain caused by touching the thorns. By placing these thorns at the entryway, households created a physical and spiritual barricade against illness and misfortune.
The Legend: Why Sardines and Holly?
The combination of the holly branch and a baked sardine head (Iwashi) creates a specific talisman known as Hiiragi Iwashi. But why this specific pairing? The folklore is as humorous as it is practical.
According to legend, Oni are fearsome, ogre-like creatures that bring disaster, plague, and bad luck. However, despite their strength, they have specific weaknesses. They are terrified of sharp objects that might poke their eyes out, and they detest strong, pungent smells.
The ritual works on a two-pronged attack system:
- The Smell: The sardine head is baked until it creates a strong, fishy odor. This stench is intended to repel the Oni before they even reach the door.
- The Thorns: If a brave or stuffy-nosed demon attempts to sneak past the smell, the sharp thorns of the holly branch will prick its eyes, forcing it to retreat in pain.
In some regions, garlic or onions are added to the arrangement to amplify the smell, ensuring no spirit dares to cross the threshold.
Modern Culture and Setsubun Today
In contemporary Japan, Setsubun is widely celebrated, though the practice of hanging Hiiragi Iwashi is more common in traditional neighborhoods and rural areas than in the ultra-modern high-rises of Tokyo. However, the symbolism remains potent.
Walk into any Japanese supermarket in late January, and you will see Setsubun corners set up. Alongside the famous roasted soybeans (used for the Mamemaki bean-throwing ritual) and Ehou-maki (lucky sushi rolls), you can often find cut branches of holly sold specifically for this purpose.
While the sight of a fish head rotting on a doorframe has declined due to urban hygiene concerns and the prevalence of apartment living, many families still hang a simple sprig of holly or paper representations of the talisman. It serves as a nostalgic reminder of the changing seasons and a gesture of cultural continuity, connecting the modern Japanese family to their agrarian ancestors.
Traveler’s Tips: Spotting the Thorns
If you are planning a trip to Japan to witness these cultural nuances, timing is everything.
- When to Go: The Setsubun festival takes place annually on February 3rd or 4th. The decorations usually go up a few days prior and are taken down shortly after, though some regions leave them up until the subsequent rainy season to “wash away” the bad luck.
- Where to Look: You are unlikely to see Hiiragi Iwashi on the automatic doors of a Shibuya hotel. Instead, head to the historic districts of Kyoto (such as Gion or Higashiyama), Nara, or the Shitamachi (old downtown) areas of Tokyo like Yanaka and Asakusa. Look at the entrance posts of private wooden homes or the gates of smaller Shinto shrines.
- Etiquette: If you spot one, feel free to take photos, but do not touch. Aside from being rude to interfere with someone’s religious talisman, the thorns are genuinely sharp, and the fish head—if real—will be oily and pungent.
Sources & Further Reading
To deepen your understanding of the spiritual context behind Setsubun and the expulsion of demons, the following historical texts and resources are invaluable:
- The Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan): While specific mentions of the sardine-holly combo are folkloric, this text details the early concepts of Oni and the purification rituals practiced by the Imperial court, which evolved into modern Setsubun.
- The Engishiki: This 10th-century book of laws and regulations describes the Tsuina (demon expulsion) rites, the direct ancestor of today’s bean-throwing and talisman usage.
- Kojiki: Japan’s oldest historical record provides the foundational myths of gods and spirits that inform the animistic worldview behind these traditions.
The “Thorns of Holly” serve as a fascinating reminder that in Japan, protection is found not in walls of stone, but in the smells of the kitchen and the sharp edges of nature.