The first seven days of the year are considered among the luckiest in Japan, so Shichifukujin Meguri (or the visit to the seven lucky gods) is really popular: this year I decided to visit the shrines and temples of Minato. I’ve been attached to old things lately, probably because of what has been…
Tag: new year
Osechi ryori: Japanese new year foods to attract fortune
The Japanese new year celebration is all about attracting luck and prosperity and food makes no exception: so much that there is a word for the food ensemble of January 1, osechi ryori. The traditional meal of the Japanese new year is called osechi (おせち), and it’s served in lacquered boxes (jubako) that…
Mochi tradition and microwave-free recipe for the Japanese new year
It’s almost the new year, so in Japan it’s time to make mochi and attract luck on you and your family – so here I share the tradition and a microwave-free recipe you can easily make at home. The end of the year and the beginning of the new one represent two recurrences…
My expat New Year in Japan
We went to Sensoji because I wanted to celebrate New Year traditionally. I remember a bunch of kids in front of us who were ahead of the police countdown and had a laugh. They almost shouted “Happy New Year!” few seconds earlier than the official countdown. Not the bangs of the firecrackers, but…
Celebrate the Japanese New Year with wagashi
Boxes of wagashi are something you can find everywhere in Japan around New Year day, in addition to kagami mochi. What are wagashi? The term wagashi is used for practically any Japanese sweet. Mochi, for example, also fall into the category. Despite having a history of more than two thousand years, the wagashi…
Kagami mochi to celebrate the New Year Japanese style
As early as December, Japanese supermarkets start selling New Year’s decorations. The most traditional is kagami mochi, two mochi and a mandarin stacked on top of each other. ‘Kagami’ means mirror, because the two mochi seem to have the shape of a bronze mirror used in Japan in ancient times. The mandarin is…
