<P> Also, Japanese buildings may sometimes have L - shaped indentions at the northeast to ward oni away, for example the walls surrounding the Kyoto Imperial Palace have notched corners in that direction </P> <P> The traditional bean - throwing custom to drive out oni is practiced during Setsubun festival in February . It involves people casting roasted soybeans indoors or out of their homes and shouting "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("鬼 は 外! 福 は 内!", "Oni go out! Blessings come in!"). This custom has grown from the medieval ritual of tsuina (Chinese: nuo) or oni - yarai, an year - end rite to drive away oni (ghosts). </P> <P> Regionally around Tottori Prefecture during this season, a charm made of holly - leaves and dried sardine heads are used as guard against oni . </P> <P> There is also a well known game in Japan called oni gokko (鬼ごっこ), which is the same as the game of tag that children in western countries play . The player who is "it" is instead called the "oni". </P>

How do you say blue fire in japanese