Kappa-maki 河童巻

Kappa-maki is a type of rolled sushi with cucumber inside. As a sushi topping, it is not hugely popular among younger people today. Among sushi connoisseurs, however, many like to slip in a kappa-maki after eating a fatty topping, or finish the meal with a kappa-maki sharpened with extra wasabi. The more seasoned the sushi eater, the more they seem to appreciate it.

By the way, the reason cucumber sushi is called kappa is that the kappa's favourite food is cucumber. Some may wonder what a kappa even is: it is one of the yokai (monsters) handed down in Japanese folklore. It is said to live in rivers and is marked by a dish-like plate on its head.

Origin: Miyazaki is the top cucumber producer Season: Summer