We will be discussing the calendar this time, too.
For Setsubun, the Spring holiday that celebrates the end of Winter, we eat Ehomaki sushi in the cardinal direction that is deemed as “lucky” for the respective New Year. From my own memory, I would say this custom has become increasingly well-known over the past 10 years. There are various theories regarding its origin, but it seems to have derived in the Kansai region. In the 7th year of the Showa Era, the Osaka Merchant Union began promoting “lucky sushi rolls” to increase sushi sales. This is thought to be the beginning of what we now know to be Ehomaki.
Many people picture the scattering of parched beans as the typical Setsubun tradition, but what type of day is Setsubun in the first place?
Japan has four seasons. In the lunar calendar, with 24 seasons, there is a set-day celebrating the first day of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter; the day before the seasonal change is called Setsubun, meaning “the division between the seasons.” For example, the first day of spring this year was February 4th, which means that February 3rd was Setsubun. In summary, February 4th, the beginning of Spring on the lunar calendar, is Lunar New Year’s, and the day before that is Lunar New Year’s Eve. This is why there are many celebrations around Setsubun in Spring, such as the spreading of parched beans.
Since Setsubun marks the change of the season, it occurs four times annually. On these occasions, well-known convenience stores will offer “Summer Ehomaki,” “Autumn Ehomaki,” etc. that are created with the new season in mind. Thinking of it this way, the recent boom in Ehomaki isn’t necessarily rooted in tradition, but rather commercialized similarly to how chocolate is promoted for Valentine’s Day.
By the way, this year’s lucky direction is North-Northwest. The Ehomaki is to be rolled with seven different ingredients to honor the Seven Deities of Good Fortune. If you believe in the custom of Ehomaki, please enjoy it in silence with seven ingredients on the evening of Setsubun facing North-Northwest this year!
Source: Tokyo College of Sushi and Washoku: The College Headmaster’s One-Dish Course Series.
https:///www.sushi-tokyo.jp/blog-headmaster
Photo source: Tokyo College of Sushi and Washoku: The College Headmaster’s One-Dish Course Series.