Ehou-maki on Setsubun

２月３日の節分の日、家族揃って西南西を向いて

無言で恵方巻きを頬張る。

犬用に細巻きも作りました。巻きの中身は、

きゅうり・卵・椎茸・かんぴょう・高野豆腐。

Setsubun is the day before the beginning of new season.

The festival however is typically celebrated on 3rd February,

which is said to be the time when we usually start to feel

that the beautiful spring season is just around the corner.

On this special day, Mamemaki, the special ritual is performed.

Roasted soy bean is either thrown at Oni (a sort of demon),

that is usually played by the male head of house, or

outside in order to have all demons and bad lucks kept away

from the house. The ritual is believed to purify the house and

to bring lucks to you and your family.

Another tradition is that we eat Ehou-maki (above pictured),

in a total silence and by looking at that year's lucky direction

(this year's was west-south-west).

So I set myself to roll some Ehou-maki, in the same way

as I do with any other Maki-sushi, not only for ourselves

but also for my dogs. Well, they seemed to have enjoyed

their very special lucky rolls. That's my lucky already :)