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Image of Asia: Catching lucky beans at start of lunar spring

People try to catch lucky beans and confectionery scattered by celebrities during "Mame-maki," a bean throwing ceremony, at Zojyoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. The ritual believed to bring in good luck and drive away the evil is performed annually to mark the beginning of the spring in the lunar calendar. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) People try to catch lucky beans and confectionery scattered by celebrities during "Mame-maki," a bean throwing ceremony, at Zojyoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. The ritual believed to bring in good luck and drive away the evil is performed annually to mark the beginning of the spring in the lunar calendar. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

By Associated Press February 3, 2015 1 min read

In this photo by Eugene Hoshiko, people try to catch lucky beans and confectionery scattered by local celebrities during a “mame-maki” ceremony at Zojyoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo. The Japanese ritual marks the beginning of spring in the lunar calendar. In many households, people wear goblin masks with horns and shout, “Banish the evil. Bring in good fortune,” before tossing roasted soybeans as others, especially children, scramble to collect and eat them.