In Japanese Setsubun tradition, what food is thrown to drive away demons?

In Japanese Setsubun tradition, roasted soybeans are thrown to drive away demons.

The custom is known as mamemaki, meaning “bean scattering.” People throw roasted soybeans either outside or at someone wearing an oni, or demon, mask while saying “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi”—“Demons out, good fortune in.” Many people also eat the same number of beans as their age, or one additional bean for the coming year, depending on regional custom.

Setsubun marks the seasonal transition before the traditional beginning of spring. Its purification practices developed from older East Asian rituals intended to repel harmful spirits and misfortune.

The beans are roasted rather than raw partly because sprouted beans would be unsuitable for the symbolic act, while roasted beans cannot germinate after being scattered. Setsubun is often associated with February 3, though the date can vary slightly.