New Year’s celebrations in Japan are totally different from the west, and food is a big part of it!
Traditional New Years Celebration in Japan
For many people in the West, holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas (or perhaps Hanukah or, some years, Ramadan) are chances to spend time gathered with your family, cozy together in the winter weather. New Years, on the other hand, is for many people just a big celebration, and an excuse to get drunk with friends or a special someone. But here in Japan, it's the other way around. The period leading up to New Year's Day is very important for many Japanese families, and features quite a few different traditions.
To this day, many Japanese people write New Year's cards (called nengajou, 年賀状) to friends, family, and those who have affected them in some way the past year. Sometimes, this is hundreds of people! And a bit like spring cleaning in other parts of the world, lots of people maintain the tradition of "osouji" (大掃除), a massive cleaning process meant to help start the new year "clean and pure." Perhaps the most fun part of celebrations, though, come after the new year has begun. In the days following New Year's Eve, people in Japan eat dishes deep with meaning, called "osechi ryori" (おせち料理).
Osechi ryori generally consists of a number of small dishes, each dish treasured and preserved through the years thanks to their special meanings. Not every dish is just plain and simple "good luck"―the ingredients are said to bring whoever eats them a variety of good fortunes. Japanese black beans (黒豆), for example, are meant to be a symbol of health, and also to help you work industriously through the year. Herring roe (数の子; kazunoko), which comes in solid lumps of hundreds of little eggs, is unsurprisingly a symbol of the many children and descendants that will come after you. Eating sweet chestnut dumplings (栗きんとん; kurikinton) is meant to bring financial prosperity, thanks to the golden color of the sweet potato, and sardines (田作り; tatsukuri) are said to bring you a good harvest, thanks to their history of being used by Japanese farmers as fertilizer!
The tradition behind osechi ryori is said to go back as far as the Heian period (794-1185). It was essentially a special meal that was offered to various deities, and also to royalty and aristocrats. Now it is a way to mark the new year, and eaten by anyone who wants to participate in the tradition. Just about every region and household in Japan has its own version of osechi ryori, but in most places, all the little dishes come served in special lacquer bento boxes called jubako (重箱), glossy, black, and a level up from your normal lunch box. The jubako are often separated into two or three tiers, and each layer of the box will have different dishes―altogether, the number adds up to well over a dozen different dishes.
Perhaps owing to its royal roots, most osechi ryori can still be quite pricey, but if you're in Japan for New Year's, then you should think about trying it anyway! It's a fun way to experience one of Japan's many long-lived New Year's celebrations, deep with ancient tradition. (Just don't forget to make your reservations ahead of time. Osechi ryori is eaten at home, but it's basically impossible to purchase day-of.)
We hope everyone had lots of things to celebrate this year, and we're looking forward to what next year has to offer! If you are looking for something traditional to finish the year on New Year's Eve, be sure to try toshikoshi soba (年越しそば)― it's tradition to finish the year with soba noodles, and start it with osechi ryori in Japan!
PROFILE
Follow us @Japankuru on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORE・Accommodations for Odaiba Sightseers: Mitsui Garden Hotel Toyosu PREMIER ・住宿推薦 三井花園飯店 豐洲普米爾 ・오다이바 관광 맞춤 숙소: 미츠이 가든 호텔 토요스 프리미어 ・ค้างคืนที่ Mitsui Garden Hotel Toyosu Premier โรงแรมสำหรับผู้มาเยือน Odaiba #japankuru #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #mitsuigardenhotel #mitsuigardenhoteltoyosupremier #tokyohotel #odaibahotel #toyosu #tokyoview #tokyobay #rainbowbridge #미츠이가든호텔토요스프리미어 #오다이바 #오다이바맛집 #오다이바건담 #오다이바해변공원 #오다이바야경 #오다이바온천
Nagano Prefecture is famous for delicious soba noodles, and in the city of Ueda, you can learn from the experts! Local aunties run this cooking class, teaching you everything you need to know to make your own delicious plate of soba noodles entirely from scratch. #japankuru #soba #sobanoodles #japanesefood #travelexperience #japan #japantrip #ueda #nagano #japaneseculture #japanexperience #daytrip #daytour #cookingclass #japanesecookingclass #上田市 #そば作り #소바체험 #우에다시 #나가노여행 #일본소바
Kuramae Shrine is known for its early-blooming cherry blossoms and its gorgeous golden mimosa blooms, making it a great sakura spot for travelers arriving in Tokyo a little early for the main cherry blossom season. It’s also tucked away in a neighborhood packed with trendy cafes and coffee shops. Kuramae is a lovely place to spend the day. 🌸☕️ ・ #japankuru #kuramaeshrine #kuramae #tokyo #tokyotrip #cherryblossom #cherryblossoms #mimosa #tokyocherry #花見 #蔵前神社 #ミモザ #桜 #東京 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #Japón #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #일본여행 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan
Local Japanese Favorites at the Okinawa Don Quijote ② Ohta’s Isan, the digestive aid of the Japanese people ・ ・ 2024唐吉訶德不可不知的好物推薦② 日本國民消化小幫手:太田胃散 ・ ・ 오키나와 돈키호테 숨은 꿀템2. 일본 국민 소화제! 오타이산 #japankuru #okinawa #donki #沖縄 #오키나와 #오키나와여행 #오키나와돈키호테 #일본쇼핑리스트 #오타이산 #일본소화제 #太田胃酸 #ohtasisan
Happy Valentine's Day from the Japankuru team! May your day be full of sweet chocolates and sweet nothings. 💕 Or, if you're like a rising number of women in Japan, take the opportunity to treat yourself! 🍫💝💆 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #valentinesday #valentineschocolate #japanesechocolate #japaneseculture #バレンタイン #バレンタインチョコ #メリーチョコレート #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #일본여행 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #japanlife #igerstokyo #explorejapan #japanfocus #enjoyjapan #japantravelphoto
Japankuru Coupon: BEAMS fashion, accessories, lifestyle goods, and more! BEAMS 5% Discount Coupon ▶︎ Validity Dates: February 1 ~ February 29, 2024 ▶︎ Discount: 5% off all products in-store ▶︎ Usable At: BEAMS stores throughout Japan (all stores except BEAMS JAPAN Izumo and BEAMS JAPAN Nikko) ▶︎ Details: Please present this coupon page before payment to receive your discount! This coupon is also valid in combination with tax-free discounts/refunds for foreign tourists. (Tax-free shopping is only available at some BEAMS locations.) Some products may not be eligible for discount. ・ ・ ・ BEAMS - JAPANKURU優惠折扣券 BEAMS 2024年2月限定特別優惠券 店內全部商品95折 ▶︎使用期間:2024/2/1到2024/2/29 ▶︎使用範圍:日本全國店舖 ▶︎使用方法:結帳時請務必事先向店員出示本優惠券,若未出示本優惠券恕無法享有本優惠。本優惠券可搭配免稅優惠一併使用,但不排除特定門市無法使用本優惠券。此外,不排除特定商品不適用本優惠券。 ・ ・ ・ 「빔즈(BEAMS) x 재팬쿠루(JAPANKURU)」스페셜 할인 쿠폰 빔즈(BEAMS) 5% 할인 쿠폰 ▶유효기간: 2024년 2월 1일 ~ 2월 29일(한 달 동안) ▶︎할인율: 매장 내 전 상품 “5% 할인" ▶︎해당 매장: 일본 전국 빔즈 (BEAMS) 매장 (BEAMS JAPAN이즈모、BEAMS JAPAN닛코는 쿠폰 할인 대상 제외 점포입니다) ▶︎상세 내용: 결제 전 본 쿠폰 페이지를 제시하면 정가대비 5% 할인된 금액에 구매하실 수 있습니다! 본 쿠폰은 외국인 관광객들을 대상으로 하고 있으므로 면세 혜택(빔즈 일부 매장)과 별도로 추가 할인이 가능합니다. (일부 매장 및 제품은 대상에서 제외될 수 있습니다.) #japankuru #beams #beamsjapan #beamsginza #coupon #재팬쿠루 #빔즈재팬 #빔즈 #일본여행 #일본쇼핑 #일본쇼핑리스트 #銀座 #東京 #tokyoshopping #japankurucoupon