Every year on February 3, Japan celebrates Setsubun – a festival held at the beginning of spring. The most iconic celebratory activity is ‘Mame Maki’ which involves throwing beans to ward off evil spirits known as ‘jaki’.
Another traditional activity is the eating of an Ehōmaki Sushi roll. In Japanese traditional culture, it is said that one must eat an entire Ehōmaki Sushi roll facing the year’s ‘lucky direction’ in complete silence to be granted a full year of health. The significance of the sushi roll relates to “rolling in good fortune”. Eating the whole thing without cutting it signifies maintaining bonds. The lucky direction changes every year. This year, it’s west-southwest.
From traditional Ehōmaki Sushi rolls to delicious sweet treats, today we’re here to introduce you to Setsubun foods you must try.
Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka: Setsubun Desserts and Ehōmaki
Oni (Demon) Cakes (Red/ Purple): ¥500, Ehōmaki Roll: ¥ 1,200 Per Roll, Kanabō Biscuits: ¥600
These oni (demon) cakes contain mascarpone mousse. The red oni cake is made from a berry mousse and strawberry jelly while the purple oni is made with blackcurrant mousse and blackcurrant jelly. Both cakes are glazed with icing. The Ehōmaki Roll is made with seven different fruits to represent the Seven Lucky Gods. The sponge cake Ehōmaki roll is packed with whipped cream and custard cream. Finally, it is coated in a layer of chocolate to look like nori. The kanabō biscuits come in plain and chocolate and depict the large club that oni usually carry with them. Everything is just so adorable.
▼ Setsubun Desserts and Ehōmaki
Selling: February 1 – 3, 2020
*Please reserve at least a day before
Available At: Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka Floor 2 Café and Gourmet Shop CAFÉ BELLE
Selling Times: 10:00 – 20:00
Prices：Demon (Oni) Cakes (Red/ Purple): ¥500, Ehōmaki Roll: ¥ 1,200 Per Roll, Kanabō Biscuits: ¥600
Reservations: https://www.miyakohotels.ne.jp/osaka/restaurant/list/cafebell/index.html
Restaurant Uemachi: Uemachi Ehōmaki
Uemachi Ehōmaki: ¥1,800
This thick Ehōmaki is one of the more traditional Ehōmaki sushi rolls. The chef carefully packs this sushi roll with seven different ingredients including egg and eel, shrimp.
▼ Restaurant Uemachi: Uemachi Ehōmaki
Reservation Deadline: February 2, 2020
To Be Received By Customer:: February 2, 2020 (11:30 – 14:00/15:00 – 19:00)
Available At: Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka Floor 3 Japanese Restaurant Uemachi
Price:¥1,800 Per Roll
Reservations: https://www.miyakohotels.ne.jp/osaka/restaurant/list/uemachi/index.html
InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel: Ehō Roll
Ehō Roll: ¥864
The Ehō Roll was created by the hotel’s patissiers and is based on the Ehōmaki. Two kinds of high-quality cream are blended together for a light, melt-in-the-mouth texture and spread onto a cocoa-flavoured crêpe. The crêpe is then filled with five fresh tochiotome strawberries. The size is long enough to be an Ehōmaki but short enough to finish easily.
▼ InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel: Ehō Roll
Selling：January 25 – February 3, 2020
*Reservation period: From January 10, 2020
Selling Times: 10:00 – 20:00
Price：¥864 Per Roll
Enquiries：045-223-2366
Official Website: https://www.interconti.co.jp/yokohama/
Daimaru Tokyo Hoppe Town: Ehōmaki
Nakajima Suisan Luxurious Gold Leaf 2020 Ehōmaki: ¥15,800
To celebrate 2020, this Ehōmaki contains 20 different types of luxurious seafood including haliotis, sea urchin, steamed shrimp, argentine red prawn, conger eel and Pacific bluefin tuna. The sushi is rolled inside gold leaf nori. Both the appearance and taste is exquisite and the perfect way to add luxury to your celebration. Only 10 are made per day so if you are interested, make sure to look into it in advance.
▼Daimaru Tokyo Nakajima Suisan: 2020 Ehōmaki
Selling: February 2 – 3, 2020 (Limited Availability)
Price: ¥15,800 (Only 10 Sold Per Day)
Website Reservations：https://www.daimaru-matsuzakaya.jp
Kaniya Sapporo Crab House: Crab Ehōmaki
Kaniya Sapporo Crab House Crab Ehōmaki: ¥5400
Unlike traditional Ehōmaki, this luxurious Ehōmaki sushi is wrapped in crab meat, making it perfect for those who can’t get enough of crab. For those of you who love eating Ehōmaki every year, how about switching it up a bit?
▼Daimaru Tokyo Kaniya Sapporo Crab House: Crab Ehōmaki
Selling on February 3, 2020, Only
Price: ¥5,400
Available At: Kaniya Sapporo Crab House, Daimaru Tokyo Basement, Hoppe Town
Official Website: https://www.daimaru.co.jp/tokyo/
Tokyo Station Ehōmaki and Setsubun Desserts Fair: Ehōmaki Half
Kai Yang Ehōmaki Half: ¥480
This Thai-style Ehōmaki is full of new and exciting flavours. It contains cucumber, fried egg, imitation crab meat, nori and Thai rice. As this is half the size of a traditional Ehōmaki, it is perfect for those who would struggle to finish a full one.
▼Tokyo Station Mango Tree Kitchen Gransta Kai yang: Ehōmaki Half
Selling: February 1 – 3, 2020
Price：¥480
Website Reservations: https://www.net-ekinaka.com/shop/r/r151020/
Kanabō Eclair: ¥756
This eclair takes on the appearance of an oni’s kanabō club. It is packed with fresh fruit, creating the perfect Setsubun treat to enjoy after your meal. The beautiful colours are sure to brighten up your day.
▼Tokyo Station Kyobashi Sembikiya: Kanabō Eclair
Selling: February 1 – 3, 2020
Price：¥756
Website and Shop Reservations: https://www.net-ekinaka.com/shop/r/r151020/
If you’re in Japan during Setsubun, an Ehōmaki or delicious Setsubun dessert is sure to be an experience you’ll never forget.
RELATED ENTRIES
-
From February 11 until February 28, 2022, Asakusa Hanayashiki, Japan’s oldest amusement park, will host a special Natsume’s Book of Friends event in collaboration with ATFES! The anime and game project has been held 18 times since 2017, and this is the second time in a row that it has been held at this historic location.
Goods
Menu Bonus
The title of this year’s event is ‘Natsume’s Book of Friends Collaboration Event: Setsubun Festival.’ Popular characters from the best-selling manga series will make their first appearance as part of an ATFES event. Natsume’s Book of Friends is serialized in LaLa Magazine and has sold over 16 million copies in Japan.
The event will welcome guests with limited-edition goods, a puzzle-solving rally, and a character-inspired food and drink menu. Ticket information and other details will be announced at a later date. The main visual for the event is now on display above the entrance to the park.
©緑川ゆき・白泉社／「夏目友人帳」製作委員会
Information
Natsume’s Book of Friends Collaboration Event ~Setsubun Festival~
Location: Asakusa Hanayashiki
Running: February 11 – February 28, 2022
Details: https://hanayashiki-event.com/info/1074
Official Site: https://www.hanayashiki.net/
-
Setsubun is an annual event in Japan that takes place on February 3. It is the day before spring and is a time when Japanese people perform a ritual called mamemaki in which beans are scattered to ward off evil.
Another element of Setsubun is the consuming of ehomaki. These large sushi rolls are to be eaten facing a set direction each year for good health all year round. This year’s direction is East-Northeast.
We have created a list of ehomaki to be enjoyed in 2019 that includes classic rolls and more unique ones.
AEON’s ehomaki can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike
AEON Retail has announced 22 varieties of ehomaki to be sold at nearly 400 branches of AEON and AEON Style on February 2 and 3. This includes Sushi Yoshitake’s Goku Ehomaki―made by a Michelin 3-star restaurant that has ranked in the Michelin guide for 8 consecutive years―which incorporates sushi techniques from before the Edo period; as well as the Doraemon Ehomaki.
◼︎Information
AEON’s Ehomaki 2019
Order Window: December 26, 2018 – January 29, 2019
Ordering: In store or online
Sale Date: February 2, 2019 – February 3 ,2019
Available: At approx. 400 AEON and AEON Style branches across the Honshu and Shikoku parts of Japan
Varieties: 22*Webpage: http://chirashi.otoku.aeonsquare.net/ehoumaki
*Variety stock may differ in certain regions.
*Taken from Michelin Guide Tokyo 2012～2019 /©MICHELIN 19-001
Thick ehomaki stuffed with sea urchin, caviar and more at Daimaru Tokyo
Daimaru Tokyo is now serving over 150 varieties of egomaki until February 3. This includes a fully-packed ehomaki made with 19 ingredients including sea urchin, caviar, tuna, fugu and more. There’s also a red king crab ehomaki that lovers of crab won’t be able to resist.
◼︎Information
Running: January 9, 2019 – February 3, 2019
Available: Daimaru Tokyo Hoppe Town
Daimaru Tokyo
Address: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 10:00-21:00
TEL: 03-3212-8011
Website: https://www.daimaru.co.jp/tokyo/
Strawberry-filled ehomaki roll at InterContinental Yokohama Grand
InterContinental Yokohama Grand’s “Ehomaki Rolls” sell out every single year, and they’re set to return once more in 2019 for a limited time. Available from January 26 until February 3, this dessert ehomaki is pumped with 2 varieties of high quality fresh cream and 5 whole sweet strawberries.
◼︎Information
Ehomaki Roll
Running: January 26, 2019 – February 3, 2019
Location: i Marina, InterContinental Yokohama Grand Floor 2F
Serving Times: 10:00-20:00 (*Sales will end once all have sold out each day)
Price: ¥864 (Tax Included)
Enquiries: 045-223-2366 (i Marina)
InterContinental Yokohama Grand
Address: 1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Matsuzakaya Nagoya’s Heart-shaped ehomaki♡
The Nagoya branch of Matsuzakaya is serving 140 types of ehomaki in 40 of its stores on floor B1F. One of the most eye-catching options is the cute heart-shaped ehomaki that’s filled with shibazuke, flying fish roe and shrimp tempura. There are only 50 of these being sold so be sure to get your hands on on quick!
◼︎Information
Running: Until February 3, 2019 (*Different for select stores. Orders being taken at select stores.)
Location: Matsuzakaya Nagoya, Floor B1F of main building
Matsuzakaya Nagoya
Address: 3-16-1 Sakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
TEL: 052-251-1111
Feeling hungry yet? When in Japan, do as the Japanese do and get your hands around a delicious ehomaki.
