Osechi - the Japanese New Year's Food

On the first days of January in Japan, it is common to eat Osechi. Osechi looks like a bento box with all sorts of fancy foods. You can buy it at the supermarket or preorder a box and have it delivered to your home. Some households also make their own osechi foods. 

You might think that is still too early to think about New Year's food, but let me say

that if you want to preorder some of the popular Osechi boxes you might be already too late. 

Last year I was thinking about ordering a Pokemon-themed Osechi box and I waited a little too long with my decision. Once I had made up my head it was sold out. I just check the shop and this year's Pokemon Osechi box is already sold out as well.

So you have to be fast if you want to get a certain Osechi box. 

I have also seen Demon slayer-themed and Hello Kitty-themed boxes last year so if you are a fan of Japanese anime you will probably find a box that you like. But there also is a huge variety when it comes to "normal" Osechi boxes.

If you preorder an Osechi Box it will usually be delivered frozen on December 30 or 31 so that you can defrost it until January.

If you missed the timeframe for reservation or don't want to reserve you can check your local supermarket on the 30th or 31st  December, and can probably find some Osechi there. 

As I missed the reservation last year I got this Osechi box from the supermarket. It was about 2,000 Yen. For the fancy boxes, you can reserve you usually pay a lot more. The Pokemon Box for example costs 12,100 7en, but it also contains more food.

In the following part, I want to talk about foods that usually are contained in Osechi boxes.

Datemaki - Left side middle

Datemaki is similar to Tamagoyaki but the egg is mixed with fish or shrimp paste. I find it tastes sweeter than normal Tamagoyaki. Personally, I like this osechi food a lot. As it looks like rolled paper it represents a wish for the development of culture and learning.

Kuromame - Middle on the top

Kuromame are sweet black soybeans. These beans are eaten to bring good health for the new year.

Kamaboko - On top of the Datemaki

Kamaboko is made of processed seafood. In English, it is often translated as fish cake. The shape of the cake resembles the sun at daybreak and represents the first sunrise of the new year.

Kuri-kinton- left side on the top

Kuri-kinto are sweet sticky balls made of chestnuts. The golden color is supposed to bring wealth for the new year. 

Shrimp - in the center

Shrimps look like they have a beard and a bent back.  So they are supposed to give you a long life until you have a beard and bent back as well.

As you can see all foods have a certain meaning and represent a wish for the new year. Personally, I do not believe in such superstition but I enjoy Osechi for its taste and optics. Will you eat Osechi in January?