BUSINESS｜CULTURE
Why Japanese People Splurge on Cold Meals During New Year’s Holidays
Osechiーthe delicious way to bring good fortune
If you have ever stayed in Japan over the New Year’s holiday, you might have been surprised by people’s craze for the traditional meal that time of year—osechi ryōri (おせち料理). No matter how westernized Japanese people’s lifestyles have become, we don’t skip this variety of small dishes that wish for a year of prosperity.
Despite the expense, crowds, and cold weather, Japanese consumers hunt for osechi everywhere from Ameyoko in Tokyo or Nishiki Market in Kyoto, to neighborhood grocery stores. Osechi is such an interesting topic that unveils Japanese consumer behaviors. So let me explain why chilled osechi sells like hotcakes and how it represents Japan’s society.
Meals to Eat with the Gods
The origin of osechi dates back more than a millennium. To welcome local toshigami-sama (年神様), the gods of the year and a bountiful harvest, people used to keep their homes quiet from January 1 to January 3. Today, homeowners and retail stores still clean up and decorate their houses with kagami-mochi, shime-kazari, and kadomatsu. Then they prepare food that can be stored for a couple of days at the end of the year to…
