●Kappamaki sushi is a cucumber roll. Why call it Kappa?

When I hear kappamaki roll, the first thing I think is "what is Kappamaki?"
I have loved Kappamaki since I was a kid. Whenever my grandmother ordered sushi, he included Kappamaki.
But Kappamaki is a strange word, isn't it? In the latter half, I will also tell you about Kappa, a Japanese language called Kappa.

What is Kappamaki roll?

Kappamaki is sushi made from cucumber wrapped in vinegared rice and Nori(seaweed).
Mainly Hosomaki sushi take-out sushi always contains Tekkamaki and Kappamaki.

Why is it called Kappamaki?

Kappa refers to cucumber because it is a favorite of kappa.
In the olden days, Kappa's favorite food was thought to be cucumber, because the cut end of cucumber resembled Kappa's head.
From there, some Japanese people came to call cucumber “kappa”.

What is Kappa?

Don't you think Japanese is difficult?
I don't really understand what Hiragana/Katakana/Kanji are. (I wouldn't understand Japanese if I were in your position.)
Actually, the word Kappa has two meanings in Japanese.

・Kappa・・・water proof coat, rain jacket
In Japanese, the word Kappa is used to mean Rain jaket.
・Kappa・・・Kappa is a well known Japanese specter. and Kappa is water imp in ponds and rivers.
In Japanese, the word Kappa is used to mean Kappa is water imp in ponds and rivers.

This time, the word Kappa used in Kappamaki comes from the latter word.
it's interesting.
As I said in Why is it called Kappamaki?, it's called Kappamaki roll because the cut end of cucumber is similar to the plate on Kappa's head.

Is Kappa a real Japanese specter?

Unfortunately, no one has seen Kappa yet.
It's not a real Japanese specter. However, there is also a story that old people have seen.
I believed in Kappa when I was a kid, but I've been alive and have never seen it. Does it really exist?

Does Kappamaki contain wasabi?

Depending on the sushi restaurant, Wasabi may be included in Hosomaki sushi.

If you are not good at Wasabi, please be sure to pull out "Wasabi" when ordering. It is good to tell the staff.

Making Kappamaki is very easy!

As with Kappamaki.Oshinkomaki, which you can easily make at home with nori, vinegared rice, and cucumber, you can easily make ingredients with nori and vinegared rice.

Norimaki kits that can be easily made are now on sale, so you can easily have a sushi party at home.