Ehomaki, literally meaning ‘lucky direction roll’ is a type of sushi roll eaten on Setsubun, the day marking the beginning of spring in Japan. This year the festival will occur on February 3rd.

The seaweed covered roll is long and filled with various ingredients, such as picked gourd, egg, eel and shiitake mushrooms. For good fortune, the ehomaki-consumer should eat it in all one go without stopping, and while facing the ‘lucky’ direction which changes year to year. This year it will be east northeast.

But if you want to put a modern spin on this tradition, why don’t you try the ehomaki flavoured potato chips?

Using a sweet soy sauce base for plenty of umami, there’s also a sourness that should conjure up the taste of vinegared rice. Added flavours of shiitake mushroom and eel bring the ehomaki experience to the humble potato chip.

According to the illustration, I guess you just face the right direction and pour them all into your mouth at once? I’m not sure.

Considering eating ehomaki is supposed to have an auspicious effect on your life, it’s unclear if potato chips can do the same. Perhaps they work better as an accompaniment to the real thing. If you want to find out, the chips are being sold in Lawson convenience stores from 22nd January.

You can learn about the rich history of ehomaki in our previous article, including the tradition’s rumoured start as a sexy parlour game played by geishas…