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DENNNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Several children, shown above, were among those wearing goblin masks at Shinnyo-en Hawaii. After mame-maki everyone eats the same number of beans as their own age, believing it will make one free of sickness during the year.

In Japan, the beginning of spring, which traditionally falls on either Feb. 3 or 4 depending on the year, is known as Setsubun. On Saturday, Shinnyo-en Hawaii at 2438 S. Beretania St. hosted "mame-maki," a bean-throwing ceremony held on the night of Setsubun. Participants fill a "masu" (wooden measuring cup) with roasted soybeans and throw the beans around the room and outside the windows, shouting, "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Out with the goblins! In with fortune!"). Families, particularly those with small children, look forward to mame-maki as they can don goblin masks and run around with others throwing beans at them.

DENNNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
George Ginoza, left, Barbara Sasahara, the Rev. Given Tokunaga, Karen Matsuda and Megumi Hoshino and her husband, Katsuhiro, stood by the altar throwing beans into the congregation.

DENNNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Masako Yamauchi, in foreground, and Kayoko Davis scooped up some of the thrown beans off the church floor.