January 1 is the most important day for Japan. As I mentioned in my post [DEEP JAPAN] Why is New Year the most important day for Japanese people? , Japanese culture is based on the spiritual foundation of “discard old things and create new ones”. Even God died once in December and reborn in January. So the New Year is the day when everything is new. On such an important day, we believe it is appropriate to eat fine food made with fine ingredients.
(Osechi dishes @YasumiKikuchi )
We believe that everyone should rest on the first three days as a Shinto sabbath. For this reason, we will prepare a high-quality preserved Japanese food “おせち Osechi dishes” during the last year. In the past, three generations of families and settlement homes cooperated in cooking, but now the nuclear family has become extremely extreme and homemade has become a minority. Prepare around 30-50 kinds of dishes for about 100 dollars per person for each family member. In principle the cuisine is traditional, but recently there have been some modern changes such as Chinese cuisine.
(Osechi dishes @YasumiKikuchi )
Its origin is 2300 years ago! Originally an offering to God. For this reason, each of the 50 dishes has a context and a prayer of good luck. Modern form began 400 years ago. This square dish is called a “重箱 Jubako (stacking box)” and is the origin of the Japanese Bento.
Foreign tourists have very little chance to eat Osechi dishes. However, they will be able to experience a similar cuisine at “懐石 Kaiseki”
Hello @Ant_Bad_Yogi
Thank you for having interest.
Kaiseki is also the finest Japanese cuisine of over $ 100. At present, it will be difficult to experience all 50 types of Osechi. Eventually, new restaurants for foreign travelers may appear.
Hello @Austinelewex , thank you for having interest.
Osechi is a true dish that includes Japanese tradition and background beyond sushi. If you have a chance, experience it!
Contain up to 50 dishes per bento osechi dish, @YasumiKikuchi -san? Wow, that’s a lot!
What makes me curious is why foreigner tourists are rarely have chance to try this dish? Is it because the dish is only served once a year and just for family?
This dish is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us. Arigato… :))
Hello @iorikun301 , thank you for your reply.
As Osechi dishes are consumed throughout Japan, manufacturers start preparing them several months ago. Even in Japan, which has the best fish distribution in the world, it is difficult to adjust the type of fish and the large stock. Therefore, even Japanese people cannot eat Osechi dishes all year round.
However, restaurants that offer the finest Japanese cuisine, such as “Kaiseki” and “Ryotei”, always offer some of Osechi’s dishes.
Osechi is a traditional spiritual cuisine that speaks eloquently of Japan, so I hope that a system that can be offered to foreign tourists will be created in the future.
It is very interesting to spend a New Year Eve in a Japanese family. I had this chance and it was amazing experience. One of my Japanese friends invited me at his home in Hyogo Prefecture and we celebrated New Year there. Here are some photos
Hello @Ivi_Ge , thank you for answering my request!
And you have a rare and precious experience!
The third picture is just the everyday scenery of Osechi. A picture of a pine and a crane is drawn on a red lacquered box. All these factors mean longevity and good luck. On the left is roasted sea bream. At that time it was the most expensive Japanese fish. For this reason, it is still a menu as a high-class dish. To the right are red and white Kamaboko (fish paste). The combination of red and white has the meaning of representing good luck in Japan.
The center is “御神酒 Omiki”, a special Sake that the energy of God was injected at the Shinto shrine. Drinking in a special dish has the meaning of purifying last year’s old dirt (bad luck) remaining in their bodies.
The chopstick bag has the word “寿 Kotobuki (congratulations)” written in Japanese, and silver and gold strings are tied. This means that good luck consolidates with you.
At the top of the photo, there is a round rice cake and Japanese orange on a square shelf. This shelf is always used when offering to a Japanese god. This round rice cake is called “鏡餅 Kagashi-mochi”. It is believed that God depending on and exists there.
The second photo is called “年越しそば Toshikoshi (New Year’s) Soba”. This also means good luck.
Soba is a thin and long Japanese buckwheat noodle. It means “frugal and long-lived.” And because it is easy to cut noodles, “last year’s bad luck will be cut off.” It also means fortune because old decorators used soba instead of clay to pick up the gold dust.
The first photo is “ちらし寿司 Chirashi Sushi”. It is a kind of sushi to make in large quantities when eating at a party.
! Even the Japanese who are usually frugal, pay extra for Osechi. This is a spiritual hood.
