Have you ever heard a apanese word, "SETSUBUN"? If you are my Belgian colleagues, you may still remember we celebrated "SETSUBUN" at Schuit's lab.
"SETSUBUN" is the day before the beginning of spring in Japan. We throw loasted beans toword outside of the entrance with saying "Oni wa soto" (demons go away) and toword inside of the entrance with saying "Fuku wa uchi" (fortune comes in).
In the beginning of Showa era (1930s), people in Osaka area started to eat "Ehoumaki" (big rolled sushi) on "SETSUBUN" day. They say this is more less newly developed custom in Kansai area for boosting sales, and gradually spread to other areas recently.
Anyway, you know, big rolled sushi is tasty, so why don't we eat on "SETSUBUN" day?
It is also believed that eating an uncut whole big rolled sushi by one person heading toword good luck direction (this year was south-south-east) is proper manner. But it was TOO big for us. We divided two and shared them.
Now I believe that we will have great next fiscal year.....