1,000 genki balls will clean the Liliʻuokalani pond in Hilo today

Instead of litter that finds its way into Waihonu, the traditional Hawaiian fish pond at the heart of Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo, 1,000 balls will be intentionally tossed into it.

The purpose? To clean the pond.

The Hawaiʻi County-owned gardens will be the final of 20 sites in Hawaiʻi and Japan that are participating in a genki ball toss from 4 to 5 p.m. as part of the 16th anniversary of World EM Mudball Day.

It’s a day dedicated to raising awareness about water purification using Effective Microorganisms (EM), with groups doing projects worldwide to clean up streams, ponds, lakes and seas.

The event began in 2009 when Professor Teruo Higa, the director of the International EM Technology Center at Meio University in Okinawa, declared Aug. 8 as World EM Mudball Day. Due to the time change, it is Aug. 7 in Hawaiʻi.

In Hawaiʻi, EM mudballs are known as genki balls. The are made from a combination of effective microorganisms, molasses, mill run and clay soil that is formed into balls. After curing for two weeks, the balls are used as a delivery system to introduce the microorganisms into troubled waters where they consume toxins and sludge.

The Genki Hou Waihonu effort was tested for a year from Dec. 3, 2022, to Dec. 3, 2023, and after reviewing water tests and measuring mud depth, the project was expanded to include the entire 400- to 600-year-old, five-acre pond that is a traditional Hawaiian fishpond.

Recently, the Big Island Water Garden Club has used genki balls to clean the koi pond in front of the peace memorial at Kalākaua Park in downtown Hilo. Puna Hongwanji also has treated a lotus pond at the temple’s entry with effective microorganisms.

Other sites participating in World EM Mudball Day include:

• Hijagawa River in Okinawa.
• Kurihara in Miyagi.
• Hachioji in Tokyo.
• Handa City in Aichi.
• Nine sites in Mie: Kuwana Mizube School, Yokkaichi, Shiroko Fishing Port, Iwatagawa River, Matsusaka, Minami Ise Town, Shiraishiko Lake, Shingu City, and Sembagawa River.
• Osaka.
• Niigata.
• Kochi.
• Lake Biwa in Shiga.
• Awanogawa River in Yamaguchi.
• The Genki Ala Wai project in Honolulu.

The Genki Hou Waihonu project will include students from Hilo High School, Waiākea High School, Kamehameha Schools and Kua O Ka Lā Charter School. Several local clubs, businesses and individuals also are set to participate in the genki ball throwing.

The genki ball toss will begin around 4:50 p.m., but to secure a spot, Friends of Liliʻuokalani Gardens recommends attendees to arrive early.

For more information, visit the Friends of Liliʻuokalani Gardens website.