Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll) Coloring Pages

A Lucky Food That Wraps Up Good Luck Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll) is a thick sushi roll that you eat on Setsubun. Usually, it has 7 different fillings inside, named after the Seven Lucky Gods. This means "wrapping up good luck"! Also, you eat the whole roll without cutting it with a knife so you do not "cut your ties of good luck."

History of Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll): When Did It Start?

There are many stories about where Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll) came from, but parts of its history are still a big mystery!

• Edo Period to Meiji Period: Long ago, shopkeepers and performers in Osaka started a habit of eating whole sushi rolls to celebrate Setsubun and wish for good business.

• After the War: People stopped doing it for a while. Then in the 1970s, seaweed sellers in Osaka brought it back to sell more seaweed.

• Spreading Everywhere: The name "Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll)" spread across Japan in the 1980s and 1990s. When convenience stores started selling it, it quickly became a famous food for everyone!

The Name and the Meaning of "Eho"

• Where the Name Comes From: People used to call it "Whole-Bite Sushi" or "Setsubun Roll." But store campaigns started calling it Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll), which means "a roll you eat while facing the lucky direction." That is how it got its name!

• What is Eho?: Eho is the direction where the god of good fortune stays that year. If you do things facing that way, good luck will come to you!

Rules for Eating Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll)

Here are 3 rules to eat it deliciously and bring good luck!

1. Face the Lucky Direction: Face the direction where the god of good fortune stays. The direction changes every year!

   Year	Setsubun Day	Lucky Direction	How to Face
   2026	February 3	South-Southeastern	Slightly south of South-Southeast
   2027	February 3	North-Northwestern	Slightly north of North-Northwest
   2028	February 3	South-Southeastern	Slightly south of South-Southeast
   2029	February 3	East-Northeastern	Slightly east of East-Northeast
   2030	February 3	West-Southwestern	Slightly west of West-Southwest
   2031	February 3	South-Southeastern	Slightly south of South-Southeast
   2032	February 3	South-Southeastern	Slightly south of South-Southeast
   2033	February 3	North-Northwestern	Slightly north of North-Northwest
   2034	February 3	East-Northeastern	Slightly east of East-Northeast
   2035	February 3	West-Southwestern	Slightly west of West-Southwest

2. Eat Quietly: Do not say a single word until you finish eating! They say if you talk, your good luck will run out of your mouth.

3. Eat It All at Once: Eat the whole roll without stopping. This keeps your good luck from escaping!

Here are some tips to make your Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll) look big, heavy, and delicious!

Make the seaweed look real

• You can color the seaweed part solid black. But if you mix in a little dark green or navy blue, it will look shiny and fancy!

• Leave a few thin white lines on a slant. It will look like light is shining on it and make it look super yummy.

Use lots of bright colors for the fillings

• If you are coloring a page that shows the cut side, use different colors for each filling!

  • Rolled omelet: Bright yellow

  • Cucumber: Light green

  • Dried gourd strips / Conger eel: Dark brown

  • Sweet pink fish flakes: Cute pink

• Coloring the lines clearly between each filling makes your Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll) look full and fancy!

Make the rice look soft and fluffy

• Rice is white, but leaving it plain white can make it look flat.

• Try adding a little shadow around the fillings and next to the seaweed using very light gray or light blue. This makes the rice grains pop out and look nice and fluffy!

Eat all the way to the end without talking!

The number one rule when you eat Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll) is that you must not say a single word until you finish eating. People say that if you open your mouth along the way, your good luck will escape from it. Quietly chew away while you say your wish inside your head!

Why do we eat a whole one without cutting it?

If you cut a thick sushi roll with a knife, it is thought to be unlucky because it means "cutting ties." So, the right way to eat it is to bite into a whole roll all at once, with the wish "May good ties never be cut!"

The 7 ingredients have special meanings

It is best to put 7 kinds of ingredients inside Ehomaki (Lucky Sushi Roll), like cucumbers, rolled omelets, and eel. This means rolling up 7 kinds of happiness, after the "Seven Lucky Gods" who bring us good fortune!

Which way is "Eho"?

Eho is the direction where the god of good fortune for the year, "Toshitokujin," is staying. This direction changes every year, so don't forget to check which way it is this year before you eat!