Comments on: Setsubun Foodie Customs: Kyoto Hisagozushi ‘Onimaki’ Ehomaki

By: Amato

Amato — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:54:47 +0000

I have a set of yakiin, so I can use it on eggs too? Great!

I absolutely love the idea to use an egg-crepe instead of nori; I don’t like the nori taste…Looks very delicious. I would like to try to make a similar roll at home.
(but I wont throw beans out of my windows and scream in Japanese, I’m afraid the people who live in my house would call a doctor…
They give me enough ”strange looks”)

I have a question about those 24 seasons; does every season have a symbol, like ume or sakura for special moths? Do you maybe know a website where I could find out?
I try to find out which wagashi belongs to which symbol and month right now.
Few of them I know already, but it’s not enough.
For example: uguisu mochi- is February the right month for it?

By: nika

nika — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:17:37 +0000

Peko Peko:

I am so thankful you explained that! I had no idea they had 24 or even 72 seasons. (One can ONLY imagine how that came about) I am all for more excuses to party!

Here in MA. USA we have 1) freaking wicked cold snow for most of the year 2) vague cold wet and muddy spring for a few weeks 3) hot humid and wet summers 3) glorious gobsmackingly beautiful falls. These are pretty much it!

By: hblnk

hblnk — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:38:31 +0000

As always a great post, with cultural background, step by step procedure and not least, plain joy of eating great food. About the ceremony: I think I will skip throwing the beans and go straight for the roll…
What can one expect this shop to sell at other times in the year, like May or November.

By: Peko Peko

Peko Peko — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:25:40 +0000

Hello nika, In Japan there are traditionally 24 seasons and you can also find a system that breaks these down into 72 seasons – all in one year. Then, you have the influence of Chinese culture on Japan, the Chinese lunar new year was New Year’s in Japan up until a century ago. Many Japanese, especially older Japanese still observer the lunar new year called kyushogatsu (old/former new year) in Japanese. Mix all that up and you have Setsubun being of spring, or maybe it would be better to say, one of the beginnings of spring. In Japan it is common for people to have a Shinto ‘baptism’ at birth, a (fake) Christian wedding and a Buddhist funeral at death. So, multiple starts for spring, especially if it leads to more good food, ceremonies – and commerce – is nothing contradictory to Japanese.

Hello S Lloyd, Thanks very much. Yes, I was very grateful to be able to take photos of the preparation. I have been able to get into many Kyoto kitchens to photograph but have also been sternly told no by many crappy-hearted places too. Kyoto isn’t a foodie blogger or food photographer’s paradise by any means. One thing that helps is talking to them, giving them some background on what you are doing and why. I try to corner them, I basically tell them I am already doing an article on them and then offer to let them participate. That often gets us on an even footing I think. One more thing, I have a KF card that I give out that has some information about access from around the world and so on, that helps being taken seriously. By the way, I love the DONUTS OF HEAVEN on your site!

Hello Sanada, Thanks! Best of luck to you next year.

Hello Dave -nibbleanibble, Oh, I thought I explained that but I guess I was not clear. Sorry. They are branded onto the egg sheet with a hot metal iron. This is called yaki-in in Japanese. Yaki-in are most often used on confections but cooked eggs often have them as well as other ‘regular’ food dishes.

By: Dave -nibbleanibble

Dave -nibbleanibble — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:30:35 +0000

Love every single part of it. The roll looks delicious and the ingredients oh so perfect.
I’m curious how they get the images on the roll?

By: Sanada

Sanada — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:52:27 +0000

Here Minnesota, finally I found a place to get ehomaki by surfing Minnesotan’s blogs, though I missed to get it this year T-T:

http://paingophers.blog57.fc2.com/blog-entry-477.html

Better to explain Lichun:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichun

By: S Lloyd

S Lloyd — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:36:38 +0000

Highly appreciate the fact that you photographed each step of the confection of that roll. That was immersive and a touch deeper in creative food photography.
PS: I am amazed by how modern minded the Japanese are -> the restaurateurs overthere are open to foodies taking pictures of their food and I find this a win win situation for them and us the foodies: they get their food to be known worlwide and we get to fully enjoy the passion of embracing visually the food we love so much. Here in Montreal, some chefs do understand this and are more than welcomed to such, but we still have a good portion of old minded restaurateurs that seem to be ice-frozen in the past and are shocked by the now widely spread modern food photography trend.

By: nika

nika — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:27:30 +0000

The vernal equinox (spring) isnt until March 20th – why are you saying its in Feb? Just curious

see this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox