End of the Year in Japan Alma Fatagani-Sato
All over the world, each country has its own way, of preparing, to welcome the New Year. In Japan, the official working day ends on December 28th (it may vary depending on each company). Most of the people in Japan start the preparation on that day, but some may start a few days earlier. Everyone is quite busy, since there are many activities to be carried out before December 31st, the New Year’s Eve. The kagami-mochi (special mirror rice cakes) with daidai (Japanese bitter orange) on top, is used for offerings and eaten between January 7th to 15th (dates vary depending on which region). First appeared during the Muromachi period, these rice cakes were made manually. But, nowadays, these rice cakes are available commercially in vacuum-sealed packaging.
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The mochitsuki (rice cake making), which is a kind of special event. Family members, relatives and sometimes even friends gather and pound glutinous rice using a big wooden mortar and pestle. After pounding, they eat the freshly-made rice cakes
Year’s Eve, it’s the evening of December 31st. The family members get together and eat the toshi-koshi soba (end of the year buckwheat noodles) with shrimp tempura (deep-fried, batter-coated shrimps), while listening to the sound of the chiming bells, from the nearby temple, resonating through the crisp and cold winter air. The shrimp having its back curved, and the buckwheat noodles that are usually long and thin, are both representation of long life. Buckwheat noodles can be eaten all throughout the year in Japan but, the toshikoshi soba has a together. This custom seems different texture. These special noodles are easily to continue up to this time cut, which represents the all over Japan. If you are quick release from illness lucky, you may see Sumo and debts. The custom of wrestlers in some places eating buckwheat noodles, doing the mochitsuki on on New Year’s Eve, began this special event. around the middle of the Edo period. The o-souji (general house cleaning), is a very important activity. All the corners of the I’m not very fond of mochi, but I love eating the house are cleaned and tidied-up. Most of the time, toshi-koshi soba especially with the shrimp tempura. all the members of the The taste of each dish family are quite busy with compliments each other, their own activities – work, that it creates a feast for the studies, hobbies, etc. The palate. And for me, that o-souji, promotes particular taste is special. It togetherness in the family, since every family member is makes me feel relaxed to a part of the cleaning team. end the current year and to welcome the coming of the New Year. The o-misoka, the New
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020
