New Year...and Beyond

Akemashite Gozaimasu!

In Japan, New Year's is the biggest holiday of the year without doubt. Some things have changed in the 14-odd years I've been here, but the basics remain the same.

At it's heart, New Year's is a three day holiday. There are many traditions, one of which would be viewing the first sunrise of the year, but foremost of these is hatsumode (praying at a shrine or temple). I very much doubt there is anyone in this country that doesn't make it to a temple or shine during the first three days of the year. More than a few will travel hours to get to a special shrine or temple, more than few flock to one right at midnight.



Aside from praying, each temple and shrine also sells a wide variety of blessed charms for any one of many, many of which are very specific. You can actually get one for safety against car accidents while driving. There is a festival atmosphere and all the foods, etc. that are sold at festivals are also available...along with seasonal specialties (amezake comes to mind).

Food is a big part of this holiday, and several days are often spent preparing for it. The last food of the year is often soba. The first is usually ozoni (a soup with mochi). Chief among New Year's foods is osechi ryiori. This is a wide range of foods that are eaten "as is" throughout the three days. They are prepared in such a way that further heating or cooking (and refrigeration, for that matter) is unnecessary. The holiday is for housewives too!. There are special foods in osechi ryiori, but I won't get into all that here (it'd be a whole post on its own). Taka and I don't really bother...not so much because diet prohibits, as because neither of us are all that fond of it.



When I first came to Japan, the entire country shut down for three days. Even convenience stores stayed closed. If you didn't know to shop by the 31st, and you were foolish enough not to hit the bank (even ATM's closed),you were just in for three days of hunger (unless you had money for food at a shrine or temple). These days (in Tokyo, at least), a lot of places are open...albeit with very short hours.

Today is January 7th. Also a special part of the new year (kind of). There is a special dish for today. It's called nanakusakayu. Breaking the wood down is a little weird. It pretty much translates to "okaiyu with seven weeds". It's a rice gruel with baby white radish, baby turnips and five other herbs. It's a very mild dish with very little taste. The idea is to clean the body of all the holiday partying, rich eating, etc. I made it today. MAN, does it take a long time with brown rice! Still it was very good. One cup of uncooked rice and six cups of water comes down to something like a loose oatmeal before the blanched green herbs (strictly speaking though, some of that is turnip and daikon tops) are added.

...AND here they are...This year's resolutions:

1) Get serious about studying Japanese (something like the 12th year running on this one...rarely lasts to February)
2) Get back in shape (also years running, but the success rate is better than the first)
3) Increase my income (this one I will keep or find myself single again) ;-)