In Japan, most of the families eat Osechi-ryori. Osechi-ryori is traditional food which is put in square lunch boxes. Some of Japanese people buy it and others make it by themselves.There are many kinds of Osechi-ryori in these days. For example, Japanese traditional Osechi, Disney character's Osechi, French Osechi which hotels sell and so on. I heard that most of the families made Osechi by theirselves because stores were closed on New Year's Day when my mother was child. But we can buy Osechi and we can try many kinds of Osechi every year. 
Fukubukuro (Lucky bag) is also Japanese New Year's Day custom. Many department stores sell Fukubukuro. There are many things (usually cloths or accessories) in Fukubukuro but we can't see what are in Fukubukuro. So it's really exciting to open Fukubukuro after buying it. The things put in Fukubukuro are usually 50% or more off than list price. So many women go to department stores and they line up in front of them. I'm one of these people.
The osechi-ryori looks delicious. Are there specific foods that are normally put in them or can it be anything?
ReplyDeleteFukubukuro sounds awesome! I'd like to go to that someday. ^_^
Alot of people here on new years have parties or stay home and watch the ball drop on TV in times Square, it's pretty cool to watch. Unfortunately I've had to work on New Years eve for the last 4 years so I wasn't able to see it.
Hi Kelsey,
ReplyDeleteWe put specific foods in Osechi. For example, boiled fish paste sausage, lotus root, spring lobster (or prawn), black soybeans, mashed sweet potates containing sweet chestnuts, herring roe and so on. They are indispensable for Osechi-ryori. But there is no rule of making Osechi-ryori so it's different from family to family.
Next year, Mitsukoshi, one of a Japanese famous department store will sell 10,000,000 yen (about $110,000) Hello Kitty's pure gold statue! But there'll be more expensive Fukubukuro. Of cause, I don't have so much money so I'm enjoying to hear these kind of news on TV!:P