New Year Food Japan
Oshogatsu is honored with visits to local shrines to wish for good fortune and health in the upcoming year and of course celebrated with family and many delicious traditional foods known as osechi ryori.
New year food japan. In japan there are two different words to describe new year celebrations and new year s day itself. Japanese new year or oshogatsu is one of the biggest holidays in japanese culture and is celebrated on the first day of the new year on january 1st. Many countries and cultures have their own traditions for celebrating and japan is no exception.
Just as it is in dozens of countries jan. The tradition started in the heian period 794 1185. Since 1873 the official japanese new year has been celebrated according to the gregorian calendar on january 1 of each year new year s day 元日 ganjitsu however some traditional events of the japanese new year are partially celebrated on the first day of the year on the modern tenpō calendar the.
The japanese new year celebration is called shogatsu and new year s day is called gantan. A traditional local new year s food known as osechi ryori is commonly consumed on new year s day which is referred to in japanese as ganjitsu. The japanese celebrate the new year day with traditional new year foods called osechi ryori おせち料理.
It s a time of year when people go back to their home towns pay their first visit to the local shrine and sit down to some traditional food. Osechi ryori are traditional dishes enjoyed by japanese people during new year s and consists of various foods packed in jubako boxes similar to the bento boxes. Like bentō boxes jūbako are often kept stacked before and after use.
Mochi a type of chewy rice cake is a classic japanese new year s food these little round cakes are even used in certain new year s decorations such as the kagami mochi. Names for the new year in japanese. The new year s celebration brings forth a festive time.
Each of the dishes holds a special meaning in welcoming the new year and in this article i will explain in detail what each of the items in osechi ryori symbolizes and the meaning and types of the new year s ozoni soup. But in japan starting off the new year is much more about spending time with family than it is about partying. It is considered the most important meal of the year as each dish serves as well wishes for the coming year.