While we ring in the New Year with loud fireworks, in Japan it is literally a chime of bells. The last of 108 rings out at exactly midnight. Instead of rockets, fireplaces at temples and shrines light up the night and people congratulate each other with “Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu”. As you can see, the celebrations in Japan are very different from ours. In Japan, New Year (shōgatsu) is the most important festival of the year and is mainly celebrated with the family. The focus is on many traditional dishes that not only taste delicious, but also carry symbolic meanings. Whether you are celebrating New Year's Eve with family or friends, perhaps you would like to be inspired by Japanese New Year traditions! I In this article, you will find out which dishes are typical in Japan and how you can adapt them for an unforgettable New Year's Eve party at home.
Culinary New Year Traditions in Japan
There are a lot of traditions surrounding the Japanese New Year in terms of decorations, food and celebrations. We have already introduced you to a few of them. Today we take a closer look at a few of the typical dishes.
Otoshi soba
In Japan, the year traditionally ends with a bowl of otoshi soba (literally “transition soba”). The long buckwheat noodles symbolize longevity and endurance. They are kept simple, often served in a clear broth, sometimes garnished with spring onions or tempura. The most important thing, however, is that they are eaten without biting off the noodles. It is therefore best to slurp it up in one go.
Osechi ryori
Osechi ryori are artfully arranged New Year's dishes served in special lacquer boxes (jūbako). Each element has a special meaning, e.g. black beans (kuromame) stand for health, kelp rolls (kombumaki) for joy and sweet potato puree with chestnuts (kurikinton) for prosperity. There are lots of small dishes for osechi ryori and many Japanese do not make them themselves, but pre-order ready-made boxes weeks in advance.
Ozoni
Another typical New Year's dish is ozoni, a clear or creamy soup with mochi rice cakes as the main ingredient. Each region in Japan has its own version, often with vegetables, chicken or fish. Mochi symbolizes strength and cohesion and is even part of the New Year's decorations, as rice cakes are traditionally sacrificed to the gods.
Recipes for Your Japanese New Year’s Eve Party
Even though the Japanese New Year is usually celebrated in a family setting, the traditions can be wonderfully transferred to your own party. With smaller portions and modern twists, your party will be a real highlight.
Recipe 1: Party otoshi soba
This version is ideal for a casual party and is easy to prepare. The soba are served in small glasses or bowls - perfect for buffet style.
Ingredients (for 8 portions):
- 200 g soba noodles
- 800 ml dashi stock (you can also use instant dashi)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced into rings
- Optional: tempura prawns or nori strips
Preparation:
- cook the soba noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and rinse under cold water.
- bring the dashi stock to the boil with the soy sauce, mirin and sugar, then leave to cool.
- portion the noodles into small glasses or bowls and pour the cold stock over them.
- Garnish with spring onions, nori strips or a tempura prawn.
Recipe 2: Yuzu Spritz
A sparkling cocktail with the tangy acidity of yuzu and the mild sweetness of rice syrup - an elegant drink for your New Year's Eve party.
Ingredients (for 1 glass):
- 40 ml yuzu juice
- 30 ml rice syrup (or to taste)
- 80 ml Prosecco or sparkling wine
- 40 ml sparkling water or yuzu lemonade
- Ice cubes or crushed ice
- 1 slice of fresh yuzu (alternatively lemon) or a sprig of rosemary for decoration
Preparation:
- fill a wine glass or highball glass with ice cubes.
- pour the yuzu juice and rice syrup over the ice cubes and stir the mixture well.
- add the Prosecco and sparkling water and stir gently.
- Garnish with a slice of yuzu or a sprig of rosemary.
Recipe 3: Datemaki
Foto: fjt1986, flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0
What no osechi ryori box should be without is rolled omelette. You can also serve it sliced as part of Japanese tapas for your party.
Ingredients (for 2-3 portions):
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 piece of hanpen (Japanese fish cake, approx. 100 g, optional)
- Vegetable oil for greasing
⠀Utensils required:
- A baking tray or rectangular baking tin (approx. 20 x 20 cm)
- Baking paper
- Bamboo mat for rolling
Preparation:
1. Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Make the dough:
- Place the eggs, honey, mirin, soy sauce and hemp in a blender.
- Blend until smooth and no chunks are visible. (Without a blender, you can mash the hempene with a fork and whisk the mixture vigorously).
3. Baking:
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray and spread evenly.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the top is lightly golden brown and the egg is fully set.
4. Roll:
- Immediately turn the baked omelette out onto a bamboo mat and carefully remove the baking paper.
- Carefully roll up the omelette with the bamboo mat, pressing firmly to form a compact roll.
- Leave to rest on the mat with the seam side down and leave to cool.
5. Serve:
- Cut the roll into slices about 1 cm thick and arrange on a plate.
⠀
Tip: If you can't find hanpen, you can leave it out. The texture will be a little less fluffy, but the taste will still be delicious.
More Ideas for a Japanese New Year's Eve Celebration
- Mini osechi platters: Put together small tapas platters with typical osechi ingredients such as rolled omelet (datemaki), pickled radish or sushi-grade seared tuna.
- Japanese drinks: In addition to the yuzu spritz, you can serve sake or non-alcoholic options such as yuzu lemonade.
- Decoration: Set accents with red and white decorative elements, bamboo or small calligraphy cards.
- Oracle: In Japan, people like to draw so-called Omikuji oracles at the beginning of the year. Perhaps you can think of a few nice or funny predictions for your party guests and have them drawn at random.
With a few tricks and creative dishes, you can bring Japanese New Year traditions to your New Year's Eve party. The recipes are easy to make and can be wonderfully combined with Western elements. Have fun getting creative and Happy New Year - or as they say in Japan: Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu! 🎉