Japanese New Year – 8 Traditional Foods for Celebrating Festivities

Japanese New Year, known as Oshogatsu, is a time of deep cultural significance, marked by traditional foods that carry symbolic meanings and wishes for the coming year. These dishes are carefully prepared and shared with family and friends, making the celebration rich and meaningful.

1. Osechi Ryori

Osechi ryori is a cornerstone of Japanese New Year celebrations, consisting of various colorful preserved foods stored in lacquered boxes called "jubako." These dishes are designed to be consumed over the first three days of the year, minimizing housework and avoiding excessive use of fire during this period.

Symbolism and Preparation

Each dish in osechi ryori has a specific meaning. For example, datemaki (sweet rolled omelette) symbolizes literary and scholastic pursuits, while kuri kinton (candied chestnut with sweet potatoes) represents economic fortune and wealth. The preparation of osechi ryori is time-intensive, involving ingredients with long shelf lives to ensure they remain fresh throughout the celebration.

2. Toshikoshi Soba

Toshikoshi soba, or "year-crossing noodles," is a hot bowl of soba noodles in soup, traditionally eaten around midnight on New Year's Eve. The long noodles symbolize longevity, and their ease of being bitten through represents a clear cut between the old and new year, leaving past regrets behind.

Preparation and Significance

The simplicity of toshikoshi soba, typically served in a hot dashi, mirin, and soy sauce soup, emphasizes an easy release from past problems and a fresh start. This dish is often accompanied by other auspicious ingredients like shrimp tempura and kohaku kamaboko fish cake.

3. Otoso

Otoso, a spiced sake, is the first drink of the Japanese New Year, consumed after morning greetings on New Year's Day. It contains various roots, spices, and herbs believed to ward off colds and flus for the coming year. The drink is served from three differently-sized lacquer sake cups, starting with the youngest or the head of the household.

4. Kohaku Kamaboko

Kohaku kamaboko is a "red and white fish cake" made from cured surimi paste, symbolizing good fortune and celebration. The red and white colors are auspicious in Japanese culture, and this dish is often presented in an alternating color pattern and half-moon shape, representing the first sunrise of the New Year.

5. Kohaku Namasu

Kohaku namasu is a carrot and daikon radish salad pickled in sweet vinegar, featuring the celebratory colors of red and white. This dish is part of the osechi ryori and is often served alongside vinegared octopus for its symbolic significance.

6. Zoni

Zoni is a soup consisting of mochi (rice cakes), vegetables, and various meats and fish. The base of the soup can be soy sauce or fermented soybean paste (miso). Zoni is a traditional New Year's dish that varies by region, reflecting local ingredients and preferences.

7. Kagami Mochi

Kagami mochi, or "mirror rice cake," is a special rice cake consisting of two mochi, with the smaller one on top of the larger one. It symbolizes the going and coming years, or "yin" and "yang," and is dedicated to gods during the New Year. Traditionally, kagami mochi is placed in various locations in the house, often accompanied by a Japanese bitter orange called dai dai.

8. Nanakusa-gayu

Nanakusa-gayu is a seven-herb rice porridge eaten on the seventh day of the New Year, known as Jinjitsu. This dish is made with seven types of herbs and is believed to promote good health and longevity. The herbs used are typically daikon, radish, shungiku (chrysanthemum greens), suzuna (turnip greens), seri (Japanese parsley), nazuna (shepherd's purse), and gonda (potherb mustard).

Each of these traditional foods plays a significant role in the Japanese New Year celebrations, embodying wishes for health, prosperity, and good fortune in the coming year.