Japanese Fruit: End of Summer Aomikan

September 15, 2008 15 Comments

Japanese Fruit: End of Summer Aomikan (Green Tangerine) 青みかん

Japanese Fruit: End of Summer Aomikan 青みかん

Aomikan, or ‘green tangerine’ mark the beginning of autumn. They are more sour than sweet and make a wonderfully refreshing snack in the still hot late afternoons and early evenings of this season.…

Osechi-ryori: Traditional Japanese New Year Meal

January 2, 2008 12 Comments

Osechi-ryori: traditional Japanese New Year meal

Osechi (お節料理) is a traditional meal for the Japanese New Year (oshogatsu, お正月) that dates back to the Heian Period, more than 1000 years ago. There are various versions of osechi; from traditional to modern and even exotic (Italian, French, Chinese, etc), but all based on the meal being hozonshoku,…

Hatsumode: The First Visit to a Shrine of the New Year

January 2, 2008 No Comments

(Japanese New Year’s Celebration) Hatsumode: The First Visit to a Shrine of the New Year (初詣)

Hatsumode is usually thought of as January 1st, although it can be a few days later. People visit a shrine or sometimes temple and pray for comfort and health in the new year. It is very common to see women in kimono and quite…

Shopping for Japanese New Year’s Celebration Food at Nishiki Market in Kyoto

December 31, 2007 No Comments

Shopping for Japanese New Year’s Celebration Food at Nishiki Market in Kyoto

The New Year’s celebration, in Japanese, Oshogatsu (お正月) is the most important celebration of the year, like that of Christmas in Western countries. The food eaten at Oshogatsu are many and varied. There are numerous traditional dishes that are only eaten at New Year’s, and it is also…

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