Japanese traditional dishes is OSECHI for celebrate new year.
In Japan old people believed most important event is new year then they made special dishes for god. The term osechi originally referred to O-sechi. This food culture is still inherited as means keeping good harvest home safety even now. To have osechi with family is stand for praying families health and good luck in Japan.
Osexhi is packed in a box with wish piling up something happy. Today in general piling up 3 boxes however formal one is 4 boxes or 5 boxes( 4sounds SHI it means Death in japan so we avoid calling SHI and use YONOJYU instead of shi(4)nojyu.Nowaday Osechi is prepared for woman’s rest in 3days. Also osechi is preserved dishes.
Basic type 3Boxes
1st box for 「Iwaisakana」fish for celebration 「kuchidori」sweets
2nd box for 「sunomono」pickled dish 「yakimono」grilled dish
3rd box for 「nimono」simmered dish
Did you know a lot of wises are put in Osechi? Osechi is pretty
beautiful Japanese culture isn’t it?
1st box for 「Iwaisakana」fish for celebration:
◎ Kuro-mame Mame means health,diligence and no sickness
◎ Tazukuri other name Gomame… good harvest
◎ Kazunoko (herring) because of many eggs…descendants prosperity
1st box for 「kuchidori」sweets:
◎ shrimp a wish for long-life till bent waist…long life
◎ Kurikinnton Kin means luck with money…money fortune
◎ Datemaki datemaki shape similar to a scroll of books… academic development
◎ Konbumaki Sounds like YOROKOBU yorokobu means happy…family time
◎ Kouhakukamaboko kou is auspicious haku is holiness… all of celebration
◎ Tako sounds like Takou takou means many lucks … good luck
2nd box for 「sunomono」pickled dish:
◎ Renkon Renkon has some hall that can see future…foresight
◎ Kikuka kabu make kabu shapes kiku as decoration… long life
2nd box for「yakimono」grilled dish:
◎ Buri(yellow tail) buri is superb fish…successful career
◎ Tai(snapper) tai is pun to Medetai(happy)…celebration
3rd box for 「nimono」simmered dish:
◎Tatakigobou gobou(burdock) has deep root… successful business business
◎Takenoko(bamboo shoot) Glowing fast to sky…successful career
◎Satoimo(taro) can crop a lot …descendants prosperity