#ehomaki

2026-02-03

Ehomaki Congridae

I think my enthusiasm would last longer for ehōmaki made with plain rice, like onigiri. Sushi rice is tasty too, but I reach critical mass with it much quicker. Maybe next month I'll celebrate with kimbap! Sure, they're not Japanese, but neither am I, and the sesame oil rice might be a nice change.

The primary food on Setsubun is a sushi roll called ehomaki. This special sushi roll is made with seven fillings, representing the Seven Deities of Good Fortune called Shichifukujin. The type of ingredients are not as important as the number. You can choose your favourite seven sushi roll ingredients and roll them up tight to lock in the elements of good health, happiness, and prosperity. It is also very important not to cut the ehomaki for this same reason. Cutting the sushi roll, as would normally be done on any other day, would slice into your good fortune. There is one more essential practice to get this right. Eho (恵方) means “lucky direction.” So this special sushi roll is literally a Lucky Direction Sushi Roll. That means if you don’t eat it facing the lucky direction for that year (depending on the Chinese zodiac symbol), don’t count on dreams coming true this spring.

SETSUBUN is the day before the beginning of spring! He’s eating their cultural food(EHOMAKI) in the video :)

In Japan, it’s Setsubun no Hi! Yashiro and Doumeki are celebrating by eating ehomaki and wishing for a prosperous year!