osyougatu

Traditional Foods of New Year’s Day
I will introduce about traditional foods of New Year’s Day. First, I will describe about Osechi-Ryohri. It is traditional foods with 3 or 5 food boxes. The boxes are stack up. This means bringer of good luck. These foods are prepared until New Year in order to celebrate a new year.
Next, I will introduce about meaning of these foods. The boxes contain Japanese omelet, herring roe, steamed fish paste, black soybean, chestnut, food boiled and seasoned, vinegared food, bream, and so on. Herring roe means increase posterities because it has a lot of roes. Black soybean means diligent or condition. The origin came from Japanese pun. Soybean called “mame” in Japanese. Also, diligent and condition called “mame”. They are actually different meaning, but they both have same pronunciation.
Next, I will write about “Mochi-tsuki.” These means that toll and make rice cake by using mallet and mortar. This event is held December 30th or December 31st per family.　We make Kagami-mochi which shaped like a snowman. It is used as a rice cake offering.
Mochi-tsuki is so fun, so why don’t you try?