Osechi

Osechi (御節料理 or お節料理, osechi ryōri) is a collection of traditional Japanese New Year foods. These dishes are elaborately prepared and packed in special lacquered boxes called jubako (重箱), which resemble bento boxes. Osechi are both visually appealing and symbolic, with each dish representing a specific wish for the coming year. The practice of eating osechi developed from the Heian period (794-1185).

The foods are generally cooked or pickled to preserve them, allowing families to avoid cooking during the first few days of the New Year and to give overworked housewives a break. The dishes are also meant to bring good luck, health, and prosperity in the new year.

Common osechi dishes and their meanings include:

• Datemaki (伊達巻): Sweet rolled omelet mixed with fish paste. Symbolizes scholarship and learning.
• Kazunoko (数の子): Herring roe. Symbolizes fertility and a prosperous family.
• Kuromame (黒豆): Sweet black soybeans. Symbolizes health and hard work.
• Kobumaki (昆布巻): Kelp rolls, often filled with herring or salmon. Kobu is associated with the word yorokobu (喜ぶ), meaning "joy."
• Tazukuri (田作り): Dried sardines cooked in soy sauce and sesame. Symbolizes a bountiful harvest.
• Kamaboko (蒲鉾): Fish cake. The red and white colors are considered auspicious.
• Kurikinton (栗きんとん): Mashed sweet potato with sweetened chestnuts. The golden color symbolizes wealth.
• Ebi (海老): Shrimp, often grilled or simmered. Symbolizes longevity due to its bent back resembling an elderly person.
• Renkon (蓮根): Lotus root. The holes represent an unobstructed view of the future.

Osechi are typically eaten from January 1st to January 3rd. While traditionally homemade, osechi are now widely available for purchase in department stores, supermarkets, and online. Variations in osechi dishes exist across different regions of Japan.