It is a kind of Japanese sake and sweet sake called mirin with Chinese herb.
This is called Osechi, New Year cuisine.
Sea weed called Kobu is a symbol of Happiness, yorokobu in Japanese, As you can see, kobu is a part of the pronunciation of the word.
Shrimps are eaten to live long. When cooked, it becomes bent, which looks like elderly .
Fish eggs have a lot of small eggs. To wish to have many children, which means the prosperity of the family
Black beans are called mame. to work mame means to work diligently. which means business prosperity.
In this way, each items have a certain meanings.
But my mon used to say, in the past, on New Year holidays, all the shops were closed and we needed to prepare food for three holidays. To preserve longer, all were cooked very well.
Nowadays, we have supermarkets and it is no need to do that.
Still I want to keep this tradition.
These lacquer wares are for soup and mochi ( rice cakes ) called Ozoni.
This becomes topics of New Years because it differs depending on each region.
I was born and raised in Kyoto.
In Kyoto, we have white miso soup and round mochi.
However, my mon was from Osaka, and my grandma was from Kyushu. So I don't know about the origin of my style of Ozoni.
Mine is soup taken from bonito flakes and kobu seaweed and mochi.
It is a good opportunity to feel our tradition.
