OSECHI RYOURI

<The traditional Japanese New Year foods>

SATE(Well), OSHOUGATSU(New Year holidays) when I returned to
the parents' house.
KONKAI TO JIKAI HA,(This time and next time,) I introduce a typical appearance
at OSHOUGATSU(New Year holidays) there.
WATASHI NO JIKKA HA, HEIBON NA KATEI DESUGA,
My parents' house is an ordinary family,
My parents are still GENKI(energetic) and they like people gathering,
The preparation(JUNBI) for the dish(RYOURI) and the decoration(KAZARITSUKE), etc.
at OSHOUGATSU(New Year holidays) are tidied every year(MAITOSHI).
Please read it like a feeling invited to the Japanese family.

The upper photograph is "IKEBANA (flower arrangement)" of the TOKONOMA(alcove).
WATASHINO HAHA HA, CHIISAI KORO KARA "IKEBANA" WO NARATTEIMASHITA.
My mother learned "flower arrangement" since she was small.
So she can arrange it for this much in around 5 minutes.
ATTO IU MA DESU.
"SHASHIN NI TORANAIDE!"
"Don't take a picture of it!"
My mother said half in joke(JOUDAN).
Because this was not made well(JOUZU NI DEKINAKATTASHI),
and it is the flower which she bought in a neighboring market(ICHIBA).


KOREHA, KAGAMI MOCHI DESU.
This is a round shaped rice-cake.
On a wooden stand(KI DE DEKITA DAI),
lay a paper(KAMI) on it.
SOSHITE, UE NI KAZARI MASU.
And you display it on the top.
NIHON HA, KI TO KAMI NO BUNKA GA ARIMASU.
Japan has culture of wood and paper.
SHIROI KAGAMI MOCHI HA, WATASHI NO JIKKA DE TSUKURIMASHITA.
The white rice cake was made at my parents' house.
I introduce OMOCHI RYOURI (The traditional rice cake dishes)  on the next time.




The flower (HANA) which was in the "IKEBANA (flower arrangement)"
of the photograph(SHASHIN), it was also planted in the garden.
HONTOU HA, KOREHA HANA DEHA NAKU HAPPA DESU.
In fact(HONTOU HA), these are leaves(HAPPA), not a flower(HANA).
"HABOTAN" TO IU SHOKUBUTSU DESU.
It is an "ornamental cabbage".
I think that it's the same kind(ONAJI SHURUI) as cabbages(KYABETSU).
Note) I don't think you can eat it. It is not edible.
KORE HA, TABERAREMASEN.

My mother likes to decorate the entrance(GENKAN) according to the season.
Because it's a OSHOUGATSU(New Year), so she displayed a lucky thing(ENGI NO YOI MONO).
These few days ago, the entrance was Christmas specifications.
In Japan, we redecorate it hastily from Christmas version to New Year version.
ISOGASHII DESU NE.
Therefore the redecoration of the store seems to be also hard.
TAIHEN DESU.


The decoration put toward you is called "KAI AWASE (Shellfish putting together)".
It is traditional game(DENTOU TEKI NA ASOBI DESU.) to Japan
at HEIAN JIDAI(the Heian era) (1000 years or more ago).
A painting was drawn inside of the shell.
Turn it over(HIKKUEIKAESHITE) and find the one with the same painting.
We play as a nervous breakdown(SHINKEI SUIJAKU) of card game.


SOSHITE, OSECHI RYOURI(The traditional Japanese New Year foods.)
OSECHIRYOURI have a meaning in each.
FUTSUUHA (Usually), we display all food neatly in a JUUBAKO (tiered food boxes)
like this and put it on the dining table.

Meaning that the prawn(EBI) lives long so that their back bends.
We also eat KAZUNOKO (herring roe),  which is not in the photograph,
KAZU means "number" and KO means "child".
It symbolizes a wish to be gifted with numerous children in the New Year.
SHISON HANEI(Descendant prosperity)

In the bean(MAME) dish, there is a wish that it is possible to live in "MAME(Diligence)".
MATA(In addition), food is good for two or three days, so it is advantageous in
that the japanese woman does not need to do kitchen work
If it is the foreigner who got used to Japanese foods, because these foods are well seasoned with soy sauce and sugar, you may love all these dishes.

OSHOUGATSU NO GOCHISOU GA SEIZOROIDESU.
The feast of New Year holidays is an array,  I only need to add rice cake food afterward.
WATASHI HA, OMOCHI GA DAISUKI DESU.
I love a rice cake!
At next week, I introduce how to eat rice cakes.

Please tell me about New Year and Christmas holidays of your country, too.
OSHIETE KUDASAI NE!!







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