🍱 Kobumaki/Boumaki (Kelp Roll/Stick Roll)
During the mid-18th century, from the middle of the Edo period to the Meiji 30s, merchant ships called "Kitamae-bune" sailed westbound from Hokkaido to Osaka, trading goods as they traveled from one port to another. The ships were not only used for transporting cargo but also for buying inexpensive goods in bulk at ports of call and selling them at high prices in other ports, making a large profit. Hokkaido is responsible for ninety percent of the kelp distributed in Japan, but it was transported to western Japan on the Kitamae-bune. This led to the creation of Japanese cuisine using kelp in many regions. Tsuruga, located in Fukui Prefecture, was one of the ports of call for the Kitamae-bune. With its prosperity, food culture from different regions was brought in. Kelp and herring were two of the most prominent foods brought from the north. Kombumaki, a kelp roll with kelp wrapped around a dried and sliced red herring and boiled until tender, is a good-luck food that brings good fortune. Slicing the herring into round pieces also has the meaning of wishing for happiness. It has become a staple local dish for celebratory occasions and is especially eaten during autumn festivals and New Year's.