New Year's

Like every year, this past oshogatsu (New Year holiday) was all about food, starting with a crab feast that featured the impressive looking claw above.

We spent the holidays in Osaka with my in-laws, Hideaki enjoying his last bit of freedom and staying for a leisurely eight days, me staying for four thanks to my work schedule. Although it was a short stay for me it didn't feel as rushed as usual, perhaps because I went by shinkansen (bullet train) rather than by plane like my husband usually insists on. I vastly prefer the shinkansen, and although it takes a little longer it is a much more comfortable and civilized way to travel, so when I'm on my own I always choose the train.

I arrived on New Year's Eve, just in time for dinner. My brother-in-law had sent four crabs from Kushiro, Hokkaido, an annual tradition. They were already boiled and were served in the typical Japanese style: the legs cracked off and scored to allow diners to open them with their hands. No melted butter or condiments of any kind, since the crabs were all tasty enough not to need anything.

First there was the fearsomely spiky hanasakigani (spiny king crab or blue king crab), above. This had very firm flesh and a strong crab flavour and yielded the most meat, but was the toughest to eat- not only were the spikes sharp and numerous, but the shell was very thick.

Next, two kegani (hairy crabs), which was easy to open, thanks to the softer shell, but has so little meat that you really have to work to get a mouthful. The flesh is soft and flaky and the flavour sweet and delicate, and it has the best miso (innards).

There was also tarabagani (red king crab), which Goldilocks would declare to be just right: easier to open than the hanasaki but much more meat than the kegani, the flesh not too tough and not too flaky, neither too strong nor too subtle in flavour. Like every year, we felt extremely lucky to be able compare three different types of crab.

After the crab was the traditional toshikoshisoba (year-crossing noodles), mine topped with nishin (partially dried herring). And then we got to work on another tradition:

Addressing our nengajo (New Year's postcards). We'd actually got them made early this year, or I should say Hideaki got them done early- for the first time ever he made them all by himself, and a very good job he did. But handwriting the addresses and messages got put off and we found ourselves madly trying to get them done before midnight (you are actually supposed to do it by December 25th, but because we're both procrastinators we consider New Year's Eve to be our deadline). The tigers, 2010 being the Year of the Tiger, are a rather untraditional colour (they are actually more orange than the crimson they appear here), since for some reason tigers are always depicted as being yellow here, which just doesn't look right to me. The message says Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu, the standard New Year's greeting, which literally means "Congratulations on the Opening [of the New Year]". The design has a lot of blank space because in Japan messages are supposed to go on the front- the back is just for addresses.

The New Year arrived and the next day we ate osechi ryouri, the traditional New Year's foods. This is actually the lunch version (osechi is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the first three days of the year, but in my family they differ somewhat with each meal). Show above, clockwise from the top: datemaki (an omlet-like roll of eggs and steamed fish paste); umani (simmered vegetables with beef); chuuka salada (shirataki noodles with shiitake, carrot and lotus root dressed in soy sauce and vinegar); kimchi (spicy pickled Chinese cabbage); tainoko (simmered sea bream roe); and an unnamed simmered chicken dish; on the side is tempura shrimp leftover from the previous night's soba and a little vessel of otoso (sweet herbed sake). Each item has a special meaning, and many of the dishes (or at least the names) are unique to this family. The Japanese are fond of pointing out the differences in each region's osechi, but in my experiences the differences between each family are just as big. See last year's post for better explanations of osechi.

Here are two little plates of my favourite osechi. Note the kuwai (arrowroot, the funny vegetable on the right that looks like a tiny potato with a giant spike growing out of it), a vegetable only available at New Years and an important part of the umani (which in other households usually has chicken instead of beef and may be called chikuzen-ni, gameni, iridori or nishime). At the top is isobeyaki mochi, toasted rice cakes dipped in soy sauce and wrapped with nori seaweed).

For dinner on New Year's Day we have yakitai (salt-roasted sea bream), which seems to be more popular in western Japan, especially in areas like Osaka near the Setonaikai (Inner Sea) where wild bream abounds. It is meaty and delicious and very much the Japanese equivalent of our roast turkey at Christmas (it is bigger than it looks here).

It is always served with crab salad, and since we've been getting those Hokkaido crabs the crab meat is always leftover from the night before.

Here we have rice topped with mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and ikura (salmon roe); cabbage dressed with shiso (perilla); potato salad with ham and chuuka salada; and ozoni (soup with mochi).

Oshogatsu is not just about savoury food though. Alcohol abounds (this is the only time of year when people are encouraged to drink from breakfast until bedtime), although since three of us were sick there wasn't much of it this time. There are also tonnes of sweets, especially at my in-laws, who receive them as oseibo (year-end gifts) and stock up on more in order to spoil their children and grandchild. And more there are more desserts when we go visiting, like this lovely strawberry-topped cake we had a friend's get-together.

There was way more good stuff, and not all of it food-related, but as I look over my pictures I realize I hardly used my camera at all. This may be my skimpiest New Year's post ever, which is probably a relief to you readers but makes me wish I'd taken a few more shots. If you're curious about oshagatsu and want to read more, see these past posts: 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006.

A few more holiday pictures can be seen here.

Comments

[Speak Japanese]

WOW! What a feast. I miss it - watching K1 New Year's Eve and then drinking beer all day New Years Day

[A.L.]

Simply beautiful!!! The crabs look delicious... I only hope the taste as good as they look! Thank you for sharing!

[joeinvegas]

Wow - so much different foods

[chrisq]

So interesting. I love all the food pictures.

[Kim]

Hello again! Another year and another year of diligently following your blog. Looking forward to it! I'm wondering if you could point me in the right direction? Having taught for three years from 2000-2003 in Tokyo, I want to go back. Unfortunately the Nova gateway is now closed and JET doesn't seem like a do-able option. Any suggestions? I'd certainly appreciate it!

[AS]

So lucky to have a brother in-law who sends you such delicious looking crab every year ^^. All the food looks delicious :9. I would prefer the train as well, I don't like to travel in a plane too much b/c of the lack of comfort I get too.

[Girl Japan]

Everything looks so fantastic, I'd prefer this to osechi anyday.

[Albany Jane]

I do look forward to turkey once or twice a year, but I think a big roasted fish would also be a great holiday meal! It looks delicious. And I just love the overall asthetic of all of the food laid out.

Being a seafood piggy, I don't know if I'd have leftovers from 4 crabs. But like I said, seafood piggy.

[Sarah]

I've been reading, and I'm greatly impressed with your lovely pictures, writing, and determination (writing for so long is quite impressive in the blogosphere). :] Oh, I'm 2 inches taller than you, so how long should my yukata be?

[Mari]

Checking in for my regular dose of life-in-Japan goodness... Delectable photos! If I could live there half the year, I would. Happy New Year!

[Amy]

Thanks for the comments!

Speak Japanese, my husband is a K1 fan, but we don't let him watch it- he has to tape it and watch it after we've all gone to bed.

Kim, the job market is not great these days- teaching jobs pay less than ever and conditions are getting worse, and unemployment is high in general. There are still eikaiwa (like Aeon, Geos etc) that hire overseas, and lots and lots of schools hiring teachers for kids classes. I think there is plenty of advice in the Gaijinpot forums: http://forum.gaijinpot.com/
Good luck!

Albany Jane, they were big crabs, and with the soba coming after we know from experience that we'd seriously regret eating all the crab!

Sarah, wow, 6 feet? Impressive! You may just have to settle for a slightly too small yukata! You can do like I did and get one tailor made- a yukata's length (and width) is totally dependant on the width of the bolts of fabrics used, and although they're supposed to be standardized there is a bit of variation, so you might get lucky.

[Lisa]

What a lovely feast . Love crabs and options too! Beautiful dishes .. Thanks! CookNg Sisters