Traditional Japanese "Osechi Cuisine"! There's a lot of Japanese food that attracts the attention of foreign tourists in Japan, but nothing compares to the beautiful Osechi cuisine. Today, we have a video introducing Japanese osechi cuisine, titled "Japanese New Year's Dish, (Osechi Cuisine) An Introduction to Japan’s Osechi Cuisine" (Japanese New Year dish. (OSETI cuisine)日本のおせち料理紹介), produced by "Ordinary life channel." In Japan, the first three days of the New Year, starting on January 1st, are special days referred to as "San ga nichi." To celebrate the festive New Year, there is a custom in Japan to eat Osechi cuisine as shown in the video. What Kind of Food Is Osechi Cuisine? Photo：Osechi cuisine In ancient Japan, Osechi cuisine was prepared for New Year's festivities and seasonal festivals. Since New Year' was the most important day of the year, Osechi cuisine came to refer to New Year's dishes. It is said that by the Yayoi period, osechi cuisine had already become rooted in the culture. In the Edo period, Osechi cuisine came to be called "Horai Kazari" in Kansai, "Kuitsumi" in Kanto, and "Horaidai/Tekakemori" in Kyushu. Each of them have the meaning of offering food to the gods and praying for happiness. Varieties of Osechi and the Meanings of the Dishes Photo：Osechi cuisine You can see the osechi dishes at 0:33 in the video. Dishes, such as herring roe, tazukuri, fried sardine, black beans, burdock root, kamaboko, datemaki (egg), kurikinton (chestnuts), konbumaki (kelp), tai (red snapper), renkon (lotus root), shrimp, and arrowhead introduced in the video are all festive and suitable for New Year. Each ingredient is associated with meaning, including wishes for long life, good health, and more. How to Arrange Osechi Cuisine Photo：Osechi cuisine The ingredients for Osechi dishes are packed in a "kumiju" (multi-layered food box). Originally, it is said to have been a five-tiered box, but nowadays, four-tiered boxes are generally used. There is also a method for preparing the dishes called "Juzume." It's important to organize the food, including iwaizakana-sanshu (herring roe, tazukuri, and black beans), kuchitori (appetizer assort), vinegared dishes, grilled dishes, stewed vegetables, etc., in a beautiful arrangement. You can see a beautifully arranged set of Osechi dishes at the beginning of the video. Summary of Osechi Cuisine The Japanese Osechi cuisine shown in the video is also made and sold at restaurants all over Japan. Many people pre-order Osechi dishes from famous restaurants by ordering online. You can also make osechi cuisine at home. Use the recipe site as a guide to prepare the ingredients and arrange them beautifully over a bed of rice to enjoy the Japanese New Year.

Video introduction of “Yasaka Shrine's Okera Pilgrimage” in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture This video, titled "Yasaka Shrine "Okera Mairi" (December 31, 2021, Higashiyama, Kyoto)" (八坂神社「おけら詣り」（2021年12月31日　京都市東山区）), was uploaded by "Kyoto Shimbun" (京都新聞). The video introduces Okera Mairi, a New Year's Eve ritual performed by priests on a night with light snowfall. Be sure to check it out as you read along. Highlights, History, and Facts About Yasaka Shrine Photo：Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto Yasaka Shrine is called "Gion-san" ("san" being an honorific title attached to names in Japanese to show respect) by the people of Kyoto. Yasaka Shrine is the head shrine of all 2,300 shrines following the Gion faith in Japan. The shrine's deity is Susanoo no Mikoto, who is believed to be a god who purifies all manner of misfortune. Yasaka Shrine is home to many Important Cultural Properties, including the main shrine, which is also a National Treasure, and is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Kyoto's Higashiyama district. The shrine is also famous for its beauty and is known as a power spot for love. The shrine also has a power spot for beauty called "Utsukushi-gozensha." The "biyou-sui" (美容水, "beauty water") next to the torii gate is also popular. Maiko and geiko from Gion, a temple town, as well as people in the beauty and hairdressing industry, and many women from all over the country visit this shrine with prayers of beauty. It's said a few drops on the skin is said to promote both beautiful skin and a beautiful, and it's so popular that visitors come regardless of the season. Yasaka Shrine is also said to be the largest power spot for love in Kyoto because Kushinadahime (Kushinadahime no Mikoto), a god of love, is enshrined together with Susanoo no Mikoto, the god of the shrine, and they are regarded as a god couple that gets along very well. The shrine is thought to grant good fortune. Okera Mairi – Event Hours and the Meaning Behind the Event Source :YouTube screenshot The Okera Mairi (おけら詣り) event of Yasaka Shrine, held on the night of December 31st (New Year's Eve), is a custom to welcome the New Year and is unique to Kyoto. Starting at 4:00 a.m. on the 28th, the rhizomes of atractylodes (朮, Okera in Japanese), which are believed to ward off bad luck, are placed in a lantern to make an "okera fire." At 7:00 p.m. on the 31st, the fire is transferred from the okera lanterns in the main shrine to the okera lanterns hanging in the precincts by the priests after the New Year's Eve ceremony. Be sure to watch the video to see what this looks like. [Video] 0:44 - Priests Solemnly Proceeding Through the Precincts of the Shrine as Snow Falls Atractylodes (Okera) is believed to ward off evil spirits and protect people from illness and misfortune because of its strong and distinctive smell. After the kitchounawa (lucky ropes) are lit using the fire from the okera lanterns, the ropes are whirled around to keep the fire burning until it is brought back home. [Video] 2:01 - Shrine Goers Lighting Their Lucky Ropes In the past, the okera fires were lit in front of the shrine and used as fuel for cooking New Year's food. Later, as lifestyles changed, it became common to display the rope in one's kitchen after the fire had gone out as a good-luck charm to pray for good health throughout the year. Other Events at Yasaka Shrine Photo：Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto Yasaka Shrine, which usually attracts one million worshippers on the three days of the New Year, has other New Year's events in addition to the okera-mairi. The first ritual of the New Year, the Okera Festival will be held in the main hall of the shrine starting at 5:00 a.m. on January 1. In this ritual to pray for a safe and peaceful new year, dried atractylodes roots and special sticks are mixed together. After the sacred okera fires are lit, they are thrown down from the main shrine onto the stone pavement of the shrine grounds to purify it of pestilence and evil spirits. On January 3, from 9:00 a.m., the heads of the Kongo and Kanze schools of noh will perform a New Year's noh performance, a noh and shimai dance performance, followed at 1:00 p.m. by Karuta Hajime-shiki, a ceremony to start the New Year with a traditional card game called "Karuta." It's a great way to experience the New Year in Japan. Summary of Okera Mairi at Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto Yasaka Shrine is one of the most popular and crowded spots in Kyoto during the year-end and New Year holidays. Following the Okera Mairi on the night of New Year's Eve, Yasaka Shrine is filled with the excitement of people visiting the shrine for Hatsumode. During the Hatsumode period, many food stalls are set up on the shrine grounds and around the outer garden, creating a festival-like atmosphere. If you plan to visit the shrine to see the New Year rituals and festivities, we recommend that you allow plenty of time for your visit, as the shrine can be quite crowded. 【Official Website】Yasaka Shrine 【TripAdvisor】Yasaka Shrine

Dondo Yaki at Oyama Dairi Park: Video Introduction This video, titled "Dondo Yaki Jan. 1, 2016 4K, Oyama Dairi Park" (どんど焼き（4K動画、2016年1月11日、小山内裏公園）), was uploaded by "Hiroharu Ashikaga" (足利宏治). This video introduces Dondo Yaki, a traditional Japanese event that involves lighting bonfires at the end of the New Year holiday in Japan. Have you ever heard of Dondo Yaki? It's a Japanese fire festival that actually has different names in different regions of Japan. Some of these names include Sankuro, Sagicho, Donto Yaki, and Doso Jin Matsuri. This video introduces the fire festival being held at Oyama Dairi Park in Machida, Tokyo, in Japan's Kanto region. During the event, leaves from the kaya tree (Japanese nutmeg-yew) are piled up like a mountain on a scaffold made of wood and bamboo so that the bonfire burns well. Then, Japanese New Year's decorations, such as Shimekazari (a rope decoration to ward off evil and bring luck) and Kadomatsu are placed on top of the bonfire and burned. The bigger the bonfire becomes, the more spectacular it looks. It's a sight you don't want to miss! [Video] 1:38 - Flames Rising Into the Sky What Is Dondo Yaki? The Meaning of the Name and the History of the Traditional Japanese Festival Photo：Dondo Yaki The history of this Japanese Fire festival dates back to Japan's Heian Period (794 AD - 1185 AD). Dondo Yaki is an event to see off the god of the New Year as he returns to the sky after visiting people's homes during the New Year's holiday. Dondo Yaki is a fire festival with a long history, in which local people burn lucky charms and decorations, such as shimekazari and kadomatsu, as well as kakizome, to ward off bad luck for the year and to wish for a good harvest, prosperous business, family safety, good health, and the prosperity of one's descendants. There are various theories as to the origin of the name Dondo Yaki. One suggests that it was named after the crackling noise of bamboo when it burns, which is "Don!" in Japanese. Another suggests that it comes from the word "Don don moeru" (どんどん燃える, lit "to burn gradually"). There is also a custom of skewering mochi (rice cakes), mikan (mandarin oranges), and dango, and roasting them over the bonfire during Dondo Yaki. Doing so is thought to keep one healthy throughout the year and protect them from the cold, and is a custom that has been passed down from generation to generation in almost every region of Japan. When and Where Is Dondo Yaki Held in Tokyo? Here's a look at some Dondo Yaki events held in Tokyo. If you're in Tokyo for the New Year's holiday, consider dropping by this historic New Year's event as part of your sightseeing trip. ■Torikoe Shrine – Tondoyaki Location: 2 Chome-4-1 Torigoe, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0054 Event Dates: January 8, 2022 (Sat) ※The temple office will be open from January 5 (Wed) to morning on January 8 (Sat) Hours: Starting at 1:00 p.m. (Hours are subject to change depending on the weather) [Access] A 5-minute walk from Kuramae Station (Subway) An 8-minute walk from the West Exit of JR Asakusabashi Station A 10-minute walk from Shin-Okachimachi Station on the Oedo Line Photo：Hanazono Shrine, Shinjuku, Tokyo ■Hanazono Shrine – Yunohana Shinji (Yuhana Matsuri) Location: 5 Chome-17-3 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022 Event Dates: Saturday, January 8, 2022 Hours: Starts at 11:00 a.m. [Access] Exit E2 of Shinjuku Sanchome Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Fukutoshin Line, and Toei Shinjuku Line A 7-minute walk from the East Exit of Shinjuku Station on the JR, Odakyu, and Keio Lines ■Tama River Riverside – Dondo Yaki Location: North side of the picnic plaza in Futakotamagawa Park Event Dates: January 16 (Sun.), 2022 (tentative) ※Decorations to be burnt can be brought to the festival from January 9 (Sun.) to January 16 (Sun.), 10:00 a.m. Hours: Previous years started at 11:00 a.m., but this year is scheduled to start earlier [Access] A 15-minute walk from Futakotamagawa Station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line and Tokyu Oimachi Line From Futakotamagawa Station, take the bus bound for Seijo Gakuen-mae (成城学園前), get off at Yoshizawa (吉沢), and walk 5 minutes ■The Komae Shoshun Festival's Dondo Yaki Location: Tamagawa Ryokuchi Park 4 Chome-1 Inogata, Komae, Tokyo 201-0015 Event Dates: January 9, 2022 (Sun) ※Decorations to be burnt can be brought to the festival on January 8 (Sat) 14:00-16:00, January 9 (Sun) from 8:00- Hours: [Opening ceremony] Starting at 9:30 - [Ignition] from 10:00 - [Access] A 5-minute walk from Izumi-Tamagawa Station on the Odakyu Line Things to Keep In Mind When Participating in Dondo Yaki Dondo Yaki is considered a children's festival, and the main participants are elementary and junior high school students. In the video, you can see children lighting the fire as well. [Video] 0:07 - Children Lighting the Fire Children are considered messengers of the gods and carry out a series of events, such as inviting good luck and exorcising bad luck for the year. In local communities across Japan, children and adults share roles in organizing events, and through New Year's festivities, local people bond together and residents of all ages deepen their mutual understanding of one another and interact with one another. Each community has its own rules, customs, and legends. We recommend checking the details of each event before participating. Summary of Dondo Yaki, a Traditional New Year's Event in Japan Photo：A New Year's bonfire Dondo Yaki has a long history dating back to the Heian Period (794-1185). What better place to renew your New Year's resolution than in front of a blazing bonfire? In Japan there's also a traditional Japanese candy called Dondon Yaki (どんどん焼き). Both of them have similar names, and both are products of an important Japanese tradition with a long history. Dondo Yaki is held only once a year, at the end of the New Year's holiday. We recommend visiting with your family if you have the chance!