Do any Japanese people cook during New Years? Or does Everyone have osechiryouri?

Question

Japanese people in Japan*

Answer 1

In the past, Japanese people would prepare the osechi-ryouri before the actual New Year's Day, then eat them for at least 3 days of the new year, because none of the stores would be open.

However, today, there are already prepared dishes sold at department stores, or you can buy the whole box of osechi, too. The box of osechi would can be as expensive as few hundred dollars. It really depends on the family, and which region of Japan you are from...the more rural place you live in, the more likely that your family would cook osechi before hand and not cook during the New Years. But in the urban areas, there are more places that are open of New Year's Day today, so some people might cook it, buy it, or don't eat osechi at all.

I'm Japanese and my family eat osechi in the US and rest of my relatives still do so in Japan. However, there are some dishes that takes more time to prepare than others, so then, they would buy those side dishes sometimes.

One of the reason why people do not eat osechi as much as people did in the past, because many parents today who grew up eating osechi day and night got sick of eating it every year.

My grandmother said that it is bad luck to hold the knife on the first 3 days of the New Year, so that is why people do not cook on the New Years Day, and prepare the osechi before hand. Also, people spend a lot of time visiting other families for greetings or going to shrines, so you really don't have much time to cook anyways.

The osechi have basically the same dishes, but the tastes differ from one family to another. For example, one region have different kind of soup (ozoni with mochi) using white miso, and another region might make them with red miso.

I personally like the osechi, but I know more people who don't like them...I hope this answered your question!

Answer 2

Traditionally Japanese do not cook during New Year holidays and only eat osechiryori and mochi. After WW2, it has gradually changed, they do cook whenever they want to eat other than osechi. Not everyone but almost every family has osechi to usher in New Year except families in mourning. Hotels, ryokans, and even airlines serve osechi on Jan 1st like Christmas Day in the West.

Answer 3

My understanding my not be correct but many years ago, Japanese ate only Osechi ryori. It was all handmade and took several days to prepare. But now you can purchase ready made osechi ryori in its lacquered boxes or separate things so that you can eat what you want such as kuri kinton. Also, the osechi ryori has diversified so that it may be Chinese, French or whatever. Many people are not eating osechi ryori any more too.

When the ready made packs of curry (at the time it was Bon curry) just came out, it was the thing to eat curry for new year.

Getting back to your question. Yes, there are people who cook during the new years period.

Answer 4

Yes I think most people do cook during the holidays.
Especially if you have kids because making them eat Osechi breakfast, lunch and dinner would be impossible without a riot.

I personally hate osechi because they all taste blah.
Except the kazunoko and kamaboko.
So I eat what I feel like eating on New years whether it's pasta or fried rice or noodles. I'll even have pizza on New Years if I feel like it and nobody can stop me.

But I do have the Toshi koshi soba on the eve.
Always.

Answer 5

During the new years holidays, people get together and relax/celebrate. This does include food, which they would have to cook and prepare. Some of the food includes traditional 'new years' food like mochi etc. but they also have other foods too.
mochi is great, there are so many ways to eat it. And mikan. Mmmm mikan.

Answer 6

i believe that most people would rather cook, just for the spirit of the holiday.