Koyasan Buddhist Temple members throw soybeans for Setsubun. (MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo)
Koyasan Buddhist Temple members throw soybeans for Setsubun. (MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo)

Setsubun and Hoshimatsuri, the traditional Japanese rite of the new spring, will be observed on Sunday, Feb. 7, from 1:30 p.m. at Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin of Los Angeles, 342 E. First St. in Little Tokyo.

In Japan, it is believed that when the season changes from winter to spring, evil ogres (oni) come to play tricks and bring bad luck. People throw soybeans (mame) to drive evil away. “Mame” means “destroying evil.” (魔 —?ma, evil) (滅 — me,destroy)

Koyasan Buddhist Temple will invite Fuku Otoko (Lucky Man) and Fuku Onna (Lucky Lady) and perform mamemaki (throwing soybeans) following the Hoshimatsuri Goma service.

This year’s Fuku Otoko will be Bishop Emeritus Taisen Miyata. He was born in the Year of the Monkey and has been a missionary Buddhist minister since 1959.

Fuku Onna will be Sara Kuniko Hutter, the Nisei Week Queen for 2015-2016.

For more information, call (213) 624-1267.