Rising ehomaki costs in Japan

I think that keeping an eye on seasonal food trends can give you a good sense of how prices are moving, and this year's Setsubun season is no exception. Ehomaki (the traditional sushi rolls eaten on the day) are seeing some noticeable price hikes according to Teikoku Databank, with standard gomoku and shichime rolls averaging 1,173 yen, which is up nearly 12% from last year. The main culprits are rice, nori, and eggs, which are all more expensive than in previous years.

Seafood ehomaki, which is usually the fancy option, has barely moved in price, coming in at 1,875 yen. That's up just 5 yen from 2025, and retailers seem to be keeping these premium rolls affordable by tweaking portion sizes or swapping in different ingredients. The price gap between standard and seafood ehomaki has actually narrowed to about 700 yen, making the seafood versions feel like a bit more of a bargain this year.

Advance reservations are also becoming standard. With rising ingredient costs, shops are limiting how many rolls they make to avoid waste, which makes pre-ordering a smart move.