Now THAT'S a sushi roll!!!

Today I went to work thinking it was a regular day. Lunch came around, so I decided to get what I usually get -- mango juice, a bag of oranges, and a crab sushi roll. I went to the local grocery store first and it was there I said to myself "Mother of God these are massive sushi rolls!". I didn't think about it for too long because my stomach was growling, so I paid for my food then headed to the tiny sushi shop further down the arcade.

I saw a big line-up and thought "Huh, that is odd...they are always so efficient and fast. Why is there a line-up?" As I got closer I noticed the cases were stocked with HUGE sushi rolls. I looked around for my "kani-maki", but couldn't see it. I placed my order and the lady assumed I knew a lot of Japanese because she said "Gomen nasai.....japanese...japanese...japanese....japanese etc...". Well, the only thing I got out of that whole blurb was the beginning "I'm sorry". As for the rest....NO CLUE. So I politely bowed, said "arigato gozaimasu" and went on my way.

I told Kazu (the staff manager) about it and he just laughed. He said once a year massive sushi rolls are sold and not to worry...my crab sushi would be there the next day. He tried to explain why, but he was getting frustrated not being able to say it properly in English. I didn't want to put him on the spot, so I told him not to worry, yet I was still curious about the whole thing.

When I got home I told Jamie about it and he noticed the same thing at the stores near his work. After a long day of seeing MASSIVE sushi rolls everywhere...this is what we found out:

February 3rd is not a national holiday in Japan, yet it is a special day known as Setsubun. It is a Japanese tradition that throwing roasted soy-beans (a.k.a - fuku mame - fortune beans) in the home will drive away bad luck in and around one's house in preparation for the lunar year. While throwing the beans people commonly shout "oni wa soto" -- get away demons AND "fuku wa uchi" -- come in happiness. CLICK...and the light bulb went off -- so that is why we saw paper red demon faces all around the city. People put one up in their house and throw the beans at it.


It is also said that people keep their health and happiness when they pick up and eat fuku mame a number equal to their ages. Supposedly movie stars, pop singers, geisha and sumo wrestlers attend ceremonies at larger shrines and temples to help with the bean throwing, also tossing handfuls of beans out onto the crowd to bring them luck.

SO WHY THE MASSIVE SUSHI ROLLS?????????????????

Thick sushi rolls also known as Eho-maki (fortune rolls) are eaten on the night of Setsubun. Seven fillings are rolled into each roll to correspond with the Seven Deities of good fortune. These ingredients represent good health, happiness, and prosperity. Usually, sushi rolls are sliced into bite-sized pieces, but fortune rolls shouldn't be sliced, since slicing indicates cutting good fortune.

To eat a fortune roll, you should face it towards the good fortune direction of the year at first. The good fortune direction is where the fortune god, Tokutoku-shin, stays (note - the good fortune direction changes every year). Then, hold the sushi roll and eat it while making wishes at the same time. You shouldn't talk until you are done eating the whole thing as it's said that your good fortune will be gone if you talk.

***Ha ha ha....for some reason this photo cracks me up!***

The great thing about living in this country is that I literally learn something new everyday. It's just amazing to witness how the culture I am currently immersed in continues to carry on with traditions such as the one I just described above.

**I snagged these photos from Yahoo and Google as I didn't have my camera with me today to capture what I saw**