A day for kamaboko fish cakes

Kamaboko is a traditional Japanese fish cake made from kneaded fish meat that is seasoned, shaped, and then steamed, grilled, or fried. They are usually made with cod, shark, wrasse and other white fish, providing high-quality protein in an easy to eat manner. They have a chewy, smooth texture and are often colored pink and white, with the pink representing good luck. They often come with character pictures on the white part of the semi-circular fish cake. 

The "fish cake" are appealing because they can be eaten as is - no cooking necessary. They make a handy obento addition. In ancient times, the material was made by wrapping it in a bamboo stick in a tube shape. It is said that its shape resembles the ear of a kama, so it came to be called "kamaboko". 

The date is said to have been drawn on when "kamaboko" first appeared in  literature. It also comes from the fact that in the past, there was a custom of preparing "red and white fish cakes" to celebrate the growth of children as a celebration dish for the "Shichigosan" celebration on November 15th.