Osechi cuisine decorates the Japanese New Year's table.
I've heard that each of these ingredients has a meaning, but in preparation for the New Year in 2025, I decided to do some quick research into the history of "Osekku" and "Osechi ryori."

What the Establishment of Agricultural Culture Brings

Going back to the end of the Jomon period, rice cultivation was introduced from China and spread throughout the Yayoi period, causing people to change from hunting to farming. The "Koyomi" calendar was also introduced from China, and people became more aware of the seasons and their changes, known as "Sechi." This also gave rise to the custom of giving thanks for the harvest and the blessings of nature at each season, and making offerings.

Osechi cuisine, which was a custom in the Yayoi period, became established when the "Sechi" ceremony began to be held as an imperial court event from the Nara to Heian periods. On the festival days, "Sechie" was held as a ceremony to ward off misfortune and pray for eternal youth and longevity, and celebratory cuisine called "Osechi-Ryori" was served.

Such banquets, only for those of high rank, where New Year's dishes were served, came into being during the Edo period, when the "Five Seasonal Festivals" were designated as national holidays and positioned as official events of the shogunate, and also became established as celebrations among the general public.

The five seasonal festivals established during the Edo period

The "Five Seasonal Festivals" continued from the Edo period until the Meiji government changed from the lunar calendar to the solar calendar in 1873, in order to interact with Western countries on an equal footing.
I'm sure you already know this, but I've summarized it here as well.
(By the way, when the current solar calendar was introduced, there was no concept of Saturdays and Sundays being holidays, and three years later Sundays were designated as holidays and Saturdays as half-day holidays. At that time, the only national holidays were those related to the Imperial Family. It was not until 1948, after the Second World War, that nine national holidays were established.)

●January 7th [Jinjitsu no Sekku] The Seven Herbs Festival In ancient China, the first day of the New Year was Chicken Day, the second was Dog Day, the third was Sheep Day, the fourth was Pig Day, the fifth was Cow Day, and the sixth was Horse Day. It is said that on each day, the animal associated with it was divined and treated with great care. The seventh day was also designated "Jinjitsu no Sekku," and it was decided that criminals would not be executed.
Also, on this day in China, there is a custom of eating a warm soup containing seven kinds of young herbs to soothe the stomach and intestines tired from the celebratory meals and toasts since the New Year and to pray for good health in the coming year. This custom was brought to Japan and became the custom of eating "Nanakusa gayu". It started in the Heian period and spread to the common people during the Edo period. It also became an official event of the Edo Shogunate, and all samurai, from the shogun down, would celebrate the Jinjitsu festival by eating Nanakusa gayu.
(It is also said that if you soak your nails in water that has had the seven herbs in it on January 7th and then cut your nails after they have softened, you will not catch a cold that year, so this day is also known as the "first day of cutting your nails in the new year.")

●March 3rd [Joushi no Sekku] Peach Festival It is said to have originated from the fact that it was held on the first snake day of the third month of the lunar calendar in ancient China. Since snakes grow by repeatedly shedding their skin, they are symbols of regeneration and evolution, and were also believed to ward off impurities. On this day, people would purify themselves and hold banquets near water such as rivers and lakes to ward off disasters, but in Japan, this was around the time when peach blossoms bloomed, so this day became "Peach Festival" and became a day to display Hina dolls and pray for the beautiful growth and happiness of young girls.

●May 5th [Tango no Sekku] Iris Festival About 2,300 years ago, there was a politician called "Qutsugen" who was a close aide to the Chinese king and was very popular for his strong sense of justice, but he was driven out of the country by a conspiracy. Worried and disappointed about his country, Qutsugen threw himself into the river. When the people heard this, they got on boats and beat drums to scare the fish and threw "rice dumplings" into the river to protect Qutsugen's body from the fish.
These are said to be the origins of later dragon boat racing and eating rice dumplings.

By the way, the word "Tango" means "the first day of the horse month," so it was not limited to May. It is said that the name changed to May 5th because "Go" and "Go" are pronounced the same.

●July 7th [Tanabata Festival] Bamboo and bamboo festival The Chinese "Kikkouden" was introduced to Japan and started the current custom of hanging strips of paper on bamboo leaves. Kikkouden means a festival where people make offerings to the two stars, Hikoboshi and Orihime, in hopes of improving their handicrafts and sewing skills. It is said that the name Tanabata came from the fact that people who weave are called "Tanabatatsume".

●September 9th [Chouyou no Sekku]
In China, odd numbers are called "Yousuu" and are considered to be auspicious. In particular, September 9th, when the largest yang number "9" appears twice, was designated as the "Choyo no Sekku" (Double Ninth Festival), and celebrations were held to pray for good health and prosperity of descendants.
According to the old calendar, this was the time of year when chrysanthemum flowers were in full bloom, so people would admire the flowers and celebrate the last festival of the year in a grand manner. However, according to the current calendar, the chrysanthemum flowers have not yet bloomed and the heat of summer is still lingering, so only a few regions still hold events to commemorate this day.

As Osekku spread as a folk event among the common people, lavish meals came to be served on the five seasonal festivals throughout the year.
Then, the day to celebrate the most important of the five seasonal festivals in January, which marks the beginning of the new year, changed from the 7th to the 1st, and the food served on New Year's Day became established as New Year's food. Food from the mountains and sea began to be incorporated into osechi cuisine, and in the late Edo period, each dish came to have a meaning, as it does today, and became something to eat to celebrate the new year. The custom of making osechi cuisine on New Year's Eve and eating it with the family on New Year's Day also emerged.

Good luck charm

People have always been active in holding celebrations, just as they are now, but as mentioned above, New Year's Day has always been special.
Considered an important day to welcome the New Year, New Year's cuisine was imbued with meaning and wishes for each dish, and the custom of eating them together as a family was born. At that time, osechi cuisine was offered on the tokonoma alcove on New Year's Eve, and on the morning of New Year's Day, Toshigamisama was welcomed and offered to the god together, making it a kind of ritual to welcome the beginning of the year with gratitude.
It was often said that all the stores were closed during the New Year holidays, and housewives prepared food that could be preserved in bulk so that they would not have to stand in the kitchen, but in reality, since the New Year gods should not be washed away in water, people ate pre-prepared "osechi" in small portions over the first three days of the New Year to avoid doing wet work.

Osechi cuisine was highly valued because it was sweet and well-seasoned, and because it used sugar, which was a precious commodity at the time, it could be preserved for a long time, but in order to avoid angering the fire god Aragamisama, people also refrained from cooking or grilling food, and using a knife was also considered bad luck, as it was linked to "cutting ties." In addition, hotpots were also not allowed because they would produce "aku," or "evil," so everything was associated with good luck.

In the Meiji era, the custom of packing food in tiered boxes became widespread. One reason was that "stacking boxes" sounded like "auspicious things pile up," and another reason was that common people were now able to carry tiered boxes, which previously only nobles could afford. New Year's food was packed in tiered boxes, which are not usually served on the dinner table but are used on special occasions, and rules were even created regarding what should go on which tier (←tiers and contents vary by region).

Ojuu (Juubako)

Nowadays, two or three tiers are mainstream, but it has long been said to be five tiers (there are various theories), with the topmost tier being the "Ichi no Ju" (first layer) containing celebratory food symbolizing auspicious items and celebrations, the second being the "Ni no Ju" (second layer) containing appetizers and vinegared dishes, the "San no Ju" (third layer) containing grilled dishes, and the fourth layer being spelled "Yo no Ju" (second layer) without using the kanji character for the number four, and it is said to be filled with stewed dishes, but depending on the region, it seems that the "Ni no Ju" may be filled with grilled dishes, the "San no Ju" with stewed dishes, and the "Yo no Ju" with vinegared dishes. It seems that the "Go no Ju" is commonly thought of as an empty box, as it is filled with good fortune received from the gods.

Food with wishes

[Black beans - Kueomame]
The word mame (bean) not only describes someone who is energetic, strong, and honest, but also describes someone who is attentive, caring, and hardworking.
The shiny black beans are said to ward off evil spirits and to ensure eternal youth.

[Kazunoko]
It is easy to understand that the appearance of herring eggs represents a wish for the prosperity of descendants, but the name of the herring fish, Nishin, is replaced with the kanji characters meaning "two parents" and it also has the meaning of celebrating the longevity of both parents.

[Tazukuri]
This dish is made by drying young anchovies and frying them in a sweet and spicy sauce, but in the past, small fish were mixed with fertilizer and spread on rice fields, which is why it got its name from the phrase "tazukuri" (making a rice field). From there, it has come to be known as a dish to celebrate a bountiful harvest.

In addition, red represents evil and white represents purity, so there are also red and white pickled fish, which resembles the mizuhiki used for celebrations, and red and white kamaboko, which is shaped like a sunrise.
The Datemaki, which resembles a scroll, is meant to pray for academic success, and the kanji for kinton in Kurikinton is written as "kinton," which is meant to bring about prosperity in business and good fortune.

The "Tai" in "Tai no sugatayaki" is reminiscent of "Medetai (auspicious)" and is a fish that has been appreciated since ancient times. The "Sugata yaki" is "Okashira tsuki (with tail head)", which also contains the wish for a long life to be complete from start to finish.

[Buri no Teriyaki]
Yellowtail is a fish that is said to bring success, so this is meant to convey the wish for success in life.

[Simmered shrimp]
Shrimp have whiskers that bend their backs when cooked, so this dish represents the wish that the person will live a long, healthy life until their backs become bent.

The current state of Osechi

According to a survey, about 70% of people answered that they ate osechi during the New Year holidays.
In addition, the number of households making their own is decreasing. After the war, people started ordering from long-established restaurants early on, and with the arrival of autumn many restaurants began competing to sell their products by advance order. However, recently it has become easy to buy small quantities of single servings or individual ingredients at convenience stores.
Considering that it was designed and sold as a single serving, I think this shows that many Japanese people of all ages consider it an essential part of New Year's.

Also, the food may be Western or Chinese style and may not contain the traditional New Year's ingredients, but by packing it in a tiered box, people can enjoy the feeling of a "New Year's meal."
The lunch boxes don't have to be authentic lacquered ones; even if they're made of paper or plastic, they can still create the same atmosphere.

"Before I knew it, it was already the end of the year..."
I'm sure there are many people around you who say the same thing.
Although a sudden tragic event occurred in Japan on New Year's Day 2024, I hope that 2025 will be off to a good start and be a happy year for everyone.

Author: himiko