In Japan, Jan. 7 marks “nanakusa no sekku,” the seasonal festival of seven herbs, when people eat a simple rice porridge called “nanakusa-gayu,” made with the “seven herbs of spring.”

To follow the centuries-old custom and wish for a year of health and well-being, I bought a prepackaged set on Jan. 6 containing all seven traditional herbs used for the gruel.

The price had risen noticeably since last year—nearly 100 yen ($0.6) per herb. The set came with a small illustrated guide, so I spread the herbs on the table and tried to identify each one.

“Seri, nazuna, gogyo, hakobera, hotokenoza, suzuna, suzushiro—korezo nanakusa.” (Japanese parsley, shepherd’s purse, Jersey cudweed, chickweed, nipplewort, turnip and daikon radish: these are the........

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