In Japan, the choice of what to serve for a meal, and how to present it, is intimately linked to nature and embellished by cultural nuance. Each month in the Japanese kitchen, and at table, has a distinct seasonal identity, complete with its own legends and festivals, and the motifs and color schemes associated with them.

Trying to decipher Japan's culinary code can be challenging. I know that when I first came to Japan I struggled to grasp the meaning of what everyone around me thought was obvious. To enable others who have not been brought up with Japanese traditions to better understand and appreciate indigenous culinary references to each season, I have been posting essays every few months to the SEASONAL JAPANESE KITCHEN page at this website.

Topics in the past have ranged from springtime fish and slippery-textured summertime delicacies to autumnal mushrooms and wintertime daikon. This issue focuses on some key YEAR-END and NEW-YEAR RITUALS practiced in Japan.

The annotated list of events and topics below are presented in a (more or less) chronological order, beginning with New Year-related activities that start early in December. This list ends with nana kusa-gayu, traditionally served on January 7. Scroll to the very end for a simple recipe for making your own version of this health-promoting rice porridge.

師走 shiwasu (year's end)

The last month of the year on the traditional Japanese calendar is called shiwasu. Written with two calligraphy (see above) that suggest teachers running about in a tizzy, it truly describes the frenzied pace of year-end activity here in Japan.

お歳暮 oseibo (year-end gift-giving)

Early in December oseibo gifts, wrapped in special noshi paper are sent to those who have looked after one's best interests -- typically parents and older siblings, nakodo ("match makers" who arrange marriages, or provide introductions to potential marriage partners), others who have provided you with a recommendation or sent clients your way, doctors and dentists, one's supervisor at work, and any professional mentors or teachers. Gifts of food, both fresh and packaged (in a wide range of prices), remain the most popular items.

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煤払い susuharai (house cleaning)

What in America is referred to as "spring" cleaning, takes place at the end of the calendar year in Japan. Called susuharai, these cleaning rituals begin early in December with diligent dusting in homes, offices, and neighborhood temples and shrines. This is the time of year when new cleaning products and gadgets are introduced on the market. It is the time to buy new dishtowels... and underwear... in anticipation of the year to come. Those of you living in Japan, check your local stores for special sales.

Susuharai "cleaning" is also the time to wipe the slate clean for debts. Present your invoices to clients and customers for amounts in arrears... and expect to receive reminders from others if you have not fully paid up for goods and services received this year.

年賀状 nenga jo (New Year's greeting cards)

The Japanese, like many Asian cultures, use a 12-year rotation of animal signs to designate each year. 2007 is the Year of the Boar; 2008, will be nezumi-doshi, the Year of the Mouse (or Rat). Accordingly, various images of rodents will appear on this year's greeting cards -- some cute others more subdued and traditional.

Even with the advent of e-mail, the custom of mailing New Year greeting cards persists in Japan. Originally greetings were delivered in person in conjunction with oseibo year-end gifts. Then, in 1873 the post office issued its first nenga jo cards. By the end of the 19th century, the postal service guaranteed delivery on January 1st to all those who posted their cards by the third week in December -- a promise they still keep. (Truly impressive when you consider that nearly 4 billion cards were processed last year and all delivered on January 1, 2007.)

Since 1949, the Japanese post office has been managing a New Year lottery -- numbers are printed on each of the cards the post office sells and the winning numbers are announced early in January every year. If you live in Japan and receive nenga jo from friends or colleagues, save them and bring them to your local post office. You could be the proud winner of a parcel of regional food delicacies (last year I won tasty, air-dried fish from Hokkaido) or special edition stamps (I usually win some of these every year).

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This year I will not be sending the usual nenga seasonal greetings. Instead, my husband and I have sent off mochu cards. These notices are sent year-end by those who have lost a loved one during that year; my mother, Caroline Saxe, passed away just short of her 92nd birthday in August, 2007. Mochu cards alert recipients to the sender's state of mourning. Traditionally those in mourning refrained from certain social interactions, among them the exchange of felicitous greetings.

餅つき大会 mochi tsuki taikai (rice taffy pounding events)

For those living in Japan, I encourage you to attend and participate in your neighborhood rice taffy-pounding events. These gatherings are usually sponsored by the local elementary school or merchants association. They are usually held during for the last week of the year but never on December 29th because of two (unfortunate) puns: the word ku means both "9" and "trouble;" the word mochi means both "rice taffy" and "to have." If you pound rice taffy on the 29th, you could have trouble in the year to come.

忘年会 bonenkai (year-end parties) and 新年会 shinnenkai (new year parties)

The Japanese do like to party, but not on New Year's eve (which tends to be a family affair much like Thanksgiving in the United States). Instead gatherings of friends and colleagues in December bring closure to the current year (bonenkai) while parties held in January help celebrate the new year (shinnenkai).

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新年会 omisoka (New Year's eve)

A family affair rather than a romantic evening; recently, Christmas eve has become the night for a date.

年越しそば toshi koshi soba (year end noodles)

Some households serve noodles for dinner on the night of December 31, but most slurp their noodles near midnight as (Buddhist) temple bells begin to toll (108 times; to be rid of 108 kinds of evil and sin). Although soba are specified, other kinds of noodles are eaten (especially udon in the Sanuki region of Shikoku). The longer the noodle, the better; don't cut noodles shorter than they already are, since you would be cutting short the happiness you seek.

紅白歌合戦 kouhaku uta gassen (Red & White Songfest Competition)

A televised "color war" (of sorts) in which two teams compete in providing entertainment, primarily singing. The choice of team leaders is announced late in November, and these appointments can make, or break, the career of stars (referred to as "talent," in Japanese) in the entertainment field. All households throughout Japan have their TV sets glued to NHK (national broadcasting channel) to watch this spectacle; this is a postwar phenomenon. The use of red vs. white is common practice at school athletic meets; in addition, red & white are the colors of felicity.

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お正月 oshogatsu New Year's season

Traditionally oshogatsu was a fortnight long, ending January 15 with 女正月 "women's" New Year's (onna shogatsu) -- also called 小正月 sho shogatsu "little" New Year's. Today, most people are back to work by the second or third day in January.

元日 gan jitsu New Year's Day (January 1)

明けましてお目でとうございます
AKEMASHITE OMEDETO GOZAIMASU.
literally "congratulations on bright beginnings" this is the Japanese equivalent of "Happy New Year." Other phrases commonly added to this are:

• 去年は色々とお世話になりました
  KYONEN WA IROIRO TO OSEWA NI NARIMASHITA.
  I was in your debt/much obliged to you last year...
• 今年も宜しく
  KOTOSHI MO YOROSHIKU...
  and I hope you will continue to look after my interests in the coming year...

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お雑煮 ozoni soup/stew with rice taffy

Enormous regional differences exist; some versions are made with miso-enriched broth, some are made with clear dashi stock, some are made with clear chicken stock, some with grilled omochi (rice taffy), some with boiled omochi (rice taffy).

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重箱 jubako multi-layered box

JUBAKO multi-layered boxes are used to display, serve and store OSECHI RYORI, the special food for celebrating the New Year. These special foods include:

• 田作り TAZUKURI "candied" fish; pun on word for preparing fields
• 数の子 KAZUNOKO herring roe; pun on "lots of children"
• 黒豆 KURO MAME black beans; pun on hard work & diligence

Meiji Jingu is the most popular spot in Tokyo. Literally millions of people visit in the first 3 days of the year; there is a special entrance from Harajuku station open at this time of year.

お年玉 otoshi-dama "New Year's money"

Money is often a gift in Japan and otoshi-dama money is given to children by relatives (or parents of good friends). Children receive money through high school, or sometimes college... until they become shakaijin or "members of society." Once grown children begin to work and earn their own money, they are expected to give otoshi-dama to younger siblings and relatives. Today, amounts average 3,000 yen for infants through 1st grade, 5,000 yen for young children (through 6th grade), 7,000 yen for junior high, and 10,000 yen for senior high school and college.

福袋 fuku-bukuro treasure bags sold at stores early in January

The actual value of the items in the fuku-bukuro "goodie bag" far exceeds the price tag. Bags priced at 5,000 yen and 10,000 yen are most common. No peeking, and no exchanging of merchandise is allowed. These bags are WILDLY popular in all demographic groups...lots of otoshi-dama money is spent on these!

七草粥 nankusa-gayu rice porridge, with omochi rice taffy, and 7 herbs

On the morning of January 7th, a porridge made from rice and rice taffy is fortified with seven varieties of health-promoting herbs.

• 芹 seri
• 薺 nazuna
• 御形 gogyou
• ハコベ hakobe
• 仏の座 hotoke no za
• 菘suzuna (kabu turnip)
• 蘿蔔suzushiro (daikon radish)

If you live in Japan you will be able to buy a complete 7-herb set at your local market; all stores sell them from January 2 through the 7th. Outside Japan, if you have access to Japanese varieties of produce, try to obtain SERI, a watercress-like green that is packed with vitamins (especially A), the most likely to be sold in Asian markets. At any farmer's market that sells radishes and turnips, you should be able to buy the green tops; kale and beet greens make fine substitutes. Other additions or substitutions to consider include watercress, parsley, celery tops, carrot tops, and dandelion greens.

Makes 4 portions

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 quart Basic Sea Stock (Dashi separate recipe below)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 pieces omochi (rice taffy)
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup chopped radish and turnip tops, blanched & drained
• 1 tablespoon watercress, rinsed and minced

Place already cooked rice in a 2 or 3 quart pot with the stock. Stir to break up any clumps of rice. Over low heat, stirring occasionally, cook the rice until grains swell and begin to loose their shape. The broth will become cloudy and thicker. Add half the salt, pieces of rice taffy and the boiling water and stir.

Simmer over low heat, stirring the porridge occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the sides and bottom of the pot. When the rice taffy has softened and begun to lose its shape, add the greens. Stir and cook for another minute, then serve piping hot.

Each portion should include a piece of rice taffy and green-studded porridge, the consistency of thin oatmeal.

Dashi Basic Sea Stock

Dashi is a subtle broth with the capacity to enhance and intensify the flavor of those foods with which it is cooked or blended. That ability is locked within kombu (kelp) and katsuo bushi (smoky bonito fish flakes), the two ingredients used to make this basic sea stock: Both are both rich in water-soluble glutamates.

Although it takes only a few minutes to make dashi, timing and temperature control is important. To extract the full potential of the kelp's flavor-enhancing properties, you need to start the stock from cold water, slowly bringing it barely to a boil – the point at which small bubbles begin to break on the surface, and around the rim of your pot. Then, to prevent the broth from becoming murky, and to hold possible bitterness at bay, you need to remove your pot from the stove before adding the fish flakes. That way, the smoky, full-bodied flavor of the flakes can seep into the broth.

Makes about 1 quart.

• 1 generous quart cold water; use filtered or bottled water for best results
• 6-8 square inches (15 to 20 sq.centimeters) kombu (kelp; Hidaka kombu is the preferred type)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed (2, 5-gram packets) katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes)

  Place the kelp in a pot with the water. If time permits, let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes before placing the pot over medium-high heat. Remove the pot from the burner as soon as small bubbles begin to break on the surface and at the rim of the pot. Remove the kelp. Add the fish flakes, scattering them across the surface of the broth. After several minutes the fish flakes will begin to sink. The larger the flakes, the longer it will take. Those at the top of a freshly opened bag might take 5 or 6 minutes, while the powdery bits that settle at the bottom of the package could sink almost immediately. To keep the stock from tasting "fishy" it is best to strain the broth through a cloth or paper-lined colander within 3 or 4 minutes of adding the flakes.

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