Osechi

***Osechi*** is Japanese food made to celebrate the coming of the New Year, called _Shogatsu_. It is one of the most important annual events in Japan. _Osechi_ food is packed in colorful lacquer boxes called _jubako_. Each dish and ingredient in _osechi_ has a meaning, such as good health, fertility, good harvest, happiness, long life, and so on. The kind of _osechi_ foods eaten in Japanese homes varies from area to area. It is a Japanese tradition to eat _osechi_ dishes during the New Year's holidays which go from January 1 to January 3.

## Stories

One year there was not much food. People did not have enough rice to cook in their rice cooker. Emperor Nintoku knew about this and it worried him a lot. He said that he would lower the taxes in years when people did not have enough rice for New Years Day. After that the taxes were lowered but the  House of Emperor Nintoku became poor. Japanese people celebrated this custom on New Years Day.  _Osechi-ryori_ is a dish that is cooked before New Year's Eve to eat on New Years Day.

On New Years Day, the God of the Year, named _Toshigami_ comes to the world and the world starts a new year. The god came through a special gate, a _Kadomatsu_, into our world. He is god of agriculture. In Japan when agriculture was the main activity of life, people welcomed _Toshigami_ and hoped for a rich harvest. A special decoration, a _shimekazari_ was put up to welcome the god. Another decoration, a _wakazari_, was put up to make sure that nothing would go wrong during the next year. _Osechi_ is a meal to give to _Toshigami_. In Japan people gave the first part of the crop to god. The rest of the celebration was a feast, called _naorai_.

## History

The beginning of _osechi_ starts in the _Yayoi_ period. This went from 1000 BC to 300 AD. People at that time were starting to grow rice. As part of a harvest festival, called _Sekku_, people made food gifts to please the gods. _Sekku_ foods are eaten to thank the gods for the blessing of nature, a good harvest and big catch. This is the beginning of _osechi_. This idea came from China.

In the _Heian_ period, from 710 to 1185, this event became more common in Japan as the influence of China became more important.  There were five seasonal festival days or _sekku_, January 7 (_Jinjitsu_ or _Nanakusa no sekku_), March 3 (_Joshi_ or _Momo no sekku_), 5 May (_Tango_ or _Shobu no sekku_), 7 July (T_anabata no sekku_) and 9 September (_Choyo_ or _Kiku no sekku_). An offering table was set up for the gods. The foods offered to the gods were dry foods, not processed for people to eat. Modern _osechi_ comes from the  Edo period (1603—1867). These days many Japanese people buy their _osechi_ in shops instead of making it at home.

## Types of osechi

There are many different  _osechi_ foods, and each has a special meaning. The shape, the color, and the name of each food has a meaning which might bring good luck, happiness or long life. One type of _osechi_ is made from black soybean and herring roe. Black is a color which brings youth and long life. The name of the black soybean means that people can live a long life without sickness. Herring roe symbolizes the prosperity of descendants, because there is a lot of roe in each piece.

Chestnuts are rolled into an omelet mixed with fish paste and steamed fish paste Chestnut means a mass of gold and it represents the wish that people get ahead in business and become rich person. A rolled mixed with fish paste mean the culture and diligence because it is a symbol or a scroll from the meaning of dressing up. And red steamed fish paste means removing evil and white means a pure mind. Kelp is a symbol of congratulation and longevity and is auspicious food endowed happiness.