In Japan, New Year (Oshogatsu) is an annual festival of much greater importance and focus than Christmas. Starting with Buddhist temples ringing their gigantic temple bell 108 times on New Year’s Eve, Oshogatsu goes on for the next few days. On the 1st, we visit a local shrine for Hatsumode (first shrine visit), with larger shrines offering a large selection of food stalls.

 

Preparing For Oshogatsu

A few days before the end of the year, we trek up to a large department store at the northern end of Osaka city. There, a large floor offers all the fixin’s for Osechi (New Year’s food). We’ll purchase a number of delicacies to use in making our family’s Osechi.

One of the main ingredients for Oshogatsu is Mochi (small cakes of pounded glutinous rice). We use these in Ozoni soup, on the Oshogatsu decorations of the home shrine, and for Yakimochi (grilled mochi). A traditional ceremony, called Mochitsuki, has a team pounding the glutinous rice into paste with a massive wooden sledgehammer. Note: The brave fellow wearing the blue gloves will reach in and turn the mass of paste between falls of the large sledgehammer.

On this visit to the Hankyu department store, we were lucky enough to time it just in time for the cutting of a massive tuna. This individual tuna weights 250kg (550lbs) and the specialist deftly sliced it up with large saws and knives. This will make a lot of tasty Sushi.

 

Oshogatsu Eating

On our New Year’s Day, we start off the day with a bowl of Ozoni soup. This soup varies greatly throughout Japan, with very salty version in some areas, and a mild, white ozoni in Osaka. Made with white Miso, this Ozoni is made with small Daikon (Japanese radish), Tofu, Mochi, and Koimo (a small taro potato). On top, we sprinkle Katuobushi (dried bonito flakes).

We also drink a cup of green tea (Ocha) with small, tied strings of Konbu (sea weed). We call these Musubi Konbu, and the way they are tied symbolizes a wish for family unity.

Then, we have our Osechi (fancy New Year’s food served in beautiful, lacquered stacking boxes). In the picture below, are the following delicacies:

Left box, starting in the top left corner and going clockwise: The colourful ball and mini apple are made of Mochi, the squares are Kamaboko (fish cake made from fish paste) with cheese and ham inside, on the right are chicken rolls, on the left is more Kamaboko, and in the middle is smoked Saba (mackerel).

Right box, starting in the top left: Stewed Shiitake mushrooms, more Mochi, Kurikinton (mashed sweet potato with chestnut), Kombumaki (seaweed packets), Tainoko (bream eggs), Kuromame (black soy beans), Kintokininjin (a red carrot cut into flower shapes), Gomame (small dried fish coated with a sweet sauce and sesame seeds), and Musubikonyaku (a firm gelatin-like food made from a type of yam, which is used in many Japanese dishes).

2012 is the Year Of The Dragon and, here In The Devil’s Kitchen, we like to think it’s another year of good, devilish eating. Happy New Year.