Thin Roll with Kanpyo Gourd

The thin roll filled with kanpyo gourd, kanpyo-maki, was the first traditional roll made in Edo (now Tokyo) in the mid-nineteenth century. Kanpyo-maki is unique in two ways. All other thin rolls are rolled and then generally shaped into a square log, but the kanpyo-maki is made into a round form. All other thin rolls are cut into six bite-sized pieces, but a kanpyo-maki is cut into four pieces. Since each piece is longer than pieces of other rolls, kanpyo-maki is presented lying down on its