Osechi Japanese New Year Food

Japanese new year s food is called osechi ryori and colorful dishes are packed in layers of lacquer boxes called jubako.
Osechi japanese new year food. The kinds of osechi dishes prepared at japanese homes vary from region to region. Osechi ryori s ancient origins can be traced to the nara period 710 794 when special ceremonial banquets celebrating the changing of the seasons called sechie began to be held at the imperial court. 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.
Of all the annual holidays in japan the new year o shogatsu is often spoken of as the most japanese of celebrations. As the new year symbolizes a new beginning osechi ryori consists of food with auspicious meanings. 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.
Ritual offerings of food used to be presented to the gods on sechinichi or days that marked the changing of the seasons according to traditional chinese almanacs that were used during this time the most important sechinichi of course was the day that marked the. The japanese celebrate the new year day with traditional new year foods called osechi ryori おせち料理. Since it was historically taboo to cook on new year s day osechi dishes are typically stewed with lots of sugar or they are vinegared to preserve them.
Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako 重箱 which resemble bentō boxes. Osechi ryori or often called just osechi is a food that consists of various colorful dishes. The story behind osechi.
The tradition started in the heian period 794 1185. It is considered the most important meal of the year as each dish serves as well wishes for the coming year. The most important sechinichi of course was the day that marked the.
Osechi ryōri 御節料理 お節料理 or おせち are traditional japanese new year foods. What all of those osechi ryori dishes mean. Like bentō boxes jūbako are often kept stacked before and after use.