What Is Ehomaki? The Setsubun Sushi Roll for Good Luck and Health
Ehomaki is a lucky food that has become a modern Japanese tradition in recent years, eaten to wish for good fortune throughout the year.
Ehomaki is said to have spread nationwide before people even realized it, yet much about its history and how it became popular is still unclear.
This article focuses on what ehomaki is, the rules for eating it, and the key theories about its origin and popularity.
Read to the end and you’ll understand ehomaki’s roots and its connection to Setsubun, deepening your understanding of Japanese culture.
What Is Ehomaki?
Ehomaki refers to a thick sushi roll eaten on Setsubun, a Japanese food tradition meant to wish for good luck, good health, and more in the coming year.
Setsubun corresponds to New Year’s Eve in the old lunar calendar, and historically people ate foods like soba while making wishes for the year ahead. (Some areas still keep this tradition.)
This custom is one reason ehomaki is eaten on Setsubun.
The following seven fillings are commonly seen in classic ehomaki, with their look and shape tied to symbolic meanings.
- Dried gourd strips (kanpyo)
- For a long life
- Simmered shiitake mushrooms
- For protection from danger
- Rolled omelet (dashimaki tamago/thick omelet/date-maki)
- For wealth and financial luck
- Eel (unagi/anago)
- For promotion and business success
- Shrimp
- To share in “medetai” good fortune and a long, healthy life
- Cucumber
- For nine kinds of benefits
- Sakura denbu* (pink fish flakes, usually made from sea bream)
- To celebrate auspicious “omedetai” luck
The number “7” is considered lucky, tied to the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin).
That said, there’s no strict rule that it must be seven, so fillings and the number of ingredients vary by region and shop, such as five or even twelve.
In recent years, you’ll also find creative ehomaki with roast beef, seafood (salmon, tuna), or even fruit.
What Is Setsubun?
Setsubun is the day before each seasonal start: Risshun (start of spring), Rikka (start of summer), Risshu (start of autumn), and Ritto (start of winter,). It literally means “dividing the seasons.”
Because Risshun marked the beginning of the year in the old calendar, it was an especially important time.
That’s why Setsubun usually refers to the day before Risshun (typically February 3).
In general, Setsubun is an event to ward off bad energy (believed since ancient times to appear at seasonal transitions) and pray for good health throughout the year.
Its roots trace back to Tsuina, a purification ritual introduced from China during the Heian period (794–1185).
The signature Setsubun custom is mamemaki: after scattering roasted soybeans while shouting “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi” (“Demons out, fortune in”), you eat the same number of beans as your age.
Because beans were long used as a charm against evil, throwing them at oni (demons,). seen as the source of misfortune (bad energy), is meant to pray for health and safety.
Customs vary by region too, such as eating soba or decorating entrances with hiiragi iwashi (holly leaves with sardines,) as a protective charm.
Rules for Eating Ehomaki
The rule for eating ehomaki is to face the year’s lucky direction (eho), don’t look away, and eat it in silence in one go.
Eho is the direction where Toshitokujin, the deity of good fortune, is believed to be, and is considered the most auspicious direction of the year.
Since eho changes each year, use the table below as a guide.
There are also etiquette rules such as “don’t cut it with a knife” (so you don’t “cut” luck or ties) and “don’t talk before you finish” (so you don’t let fortune escape).
It’s worth keeping these in mind before and while eating, but finishing a fairly large roll in one go can be tough.
For seniors and children especially, there’s a risk of choking, so take it at a safe pace, and use tea or soy sauce if needed.
- Eho in 2025
- South-southwest
- Eho in 2026
- South-southeast
- Eho in 2027
- North-northwest
- Eho in 2028
- South-southeast
The Origin of Ehomaki
There are many theories about where ehomaki began, and no single definitive answer.
Here are three well-known ones.
At the time, the term “ehomaki” didn’t exist, and it was called things like futomaki-zushi (thick sushi rolls,) or marukaburi-zushi (a roll eaten whole).
A Custom Spread Through Advertising
In the early Meiji period (1868–1912), a custom began in Semba, Osaka, where people prayed for business success, good health, and family harmony.
As it gradually spread, including among young women wishing to be united with the man they loved, industry figures later framed it as the origin and promoted it through advertising and marketing, helping it spread nationwide, according to this theory.
A Game That Started in Osaka’s Entertainment Districts
In late Edo-period Osaka (1603–1858), lavish “daijin asobi” parties with courtesans became popular in the hanamachi (geisha districts).
Records describe one such game in which wealthy men had women hold thick sushi rolls in their mouths for amusement.
This theory suggests that this practice became the origin.
A Story Traced Back to the Sengoku Period
One story says that Horio Yoshiharu, a samurai and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, bit into something like today’s thick sushi roll on Setsubun before heading into battle, and won a major victory.
After that, it was passed on and spread as an auspicious food.
This theory places its roots in the Sengoku period (1467–1590).
How Ehomaki Became Popular
The ehomaki custom itself is said to have started in Osaka.
While it’s widely known across Japan today, there were times when it faded, and it only became truly famous in the past 30 years or so.
That suggests a specific trigger helped it spread, but as with its origin, there are several theories, so here are two major ones.
Promoted by Sushi and Nori Trade Groups
The “industry figures” mentioned in the first origin theory are often said to be Osaka’s sushi and nori trade groups.
This theory says sushi groups in the 1930s and nori groups in the 1970s distributed flyers promoting ehomaki, and it gradually became known nationwide.
Promoted by 7-Eleven
In 1989, some 7-Eleven stores in Hiroshima began selling a product marketed as “ehomaki,” and it sold well, leading to wider rollout.
After the nationwide launch began in 1998, department stores and supermarkets across Japan started carrying it too, and it became a familiar tradition, according to this theory.
It’s also said that 7-Eleven coined the name “ehomaki.”
Where Can You Eat Ehomaki?
The easiest place to buy ehomaki is at convenience stores.
Each chain offers a wide lineup, from authentic rolls supervised by established restaurants or famous chefs to more affordable options.
You can also get takeout at conveyor-belt sushi chains and bento shops, many of which emphasize handmade rolls.
From mid-January to early February, as Setsubun approaches, you’ll see plenty of ads across TV, flyers, and more.
It can be surprising how many there are, but comparing the options should help you find an ehomaki you’ll love.
FAQ about Ehomaki
Q
What fillings are in ehomaki?
A
Many ehomaki include seven auspicious fillings such as dried gourd strips, shiitake mushrooms, and rolled omelet. That said, fillings vary by region and shop.
Q
When do you eat ehomaki?
A
You eat it on Setsubun, which corresponds to New Year’s Eve in the old lunar calendar.
Q
What are the rules for eating ehomaki?
A
Face the year’s lucky direction and eat it in silence in one go.
Summary
While its exact origin and what sparked its popularity remain unclear, the custom of eating ehomaki on Setsubun is firmly established in modern Japan.
As Setsubun gets closer, you can easily buy ehomaki at convenience stores, so if you’re curious, follow the rules introduced here and try ehomaki to wish for good luck and good health in the year ahead.