It is definitely that time of year. Wandering through Kichijoji today the New Year food (osechi) sights and smells were abundant. Despite the crowds you can see the joy on people's faces as they buy up the specially prepared foods in preparation for family celebrations. New Year is a time for joy and relaxation in Japan. After a long hard year of work you can really feel things winding down. New Year's Day will be an especially carefree and happy one. In Japan it is important to spend the first day of the year worry and anger free.

Kagami mochi can been seen everywhere at the moment from convenience stores to luxurious department store food markets. Kagami mochi is a Japanese new year decoration which is made of two rice cakes and a mikan. Often they are decorated elaborately with other food items, paper and golden or red ribbons.

Many families today were buying up mochi cakes to eat during their celebrations. Mochi making festivals have been going on in many parts of Japan recently. Mochi is made by pounding rice into a paste and then molding it into small pancake, ball or block shapes. Super sticky and often tricky to eat, mochi can be hazardous if not eaten with care.

Our favorite New Year tradition which we certainly don't reserve just for the special eve is the slurping of soba noodles. Soba are seriously delicious and healthy noodles made of buckwheat flour. During winter they are served in a hot, clear, brown soup and can be topped with negi or nori. Slurping up these noodles before the clock strikes midnight is symbolic of longevity. Someone once told me the longer the slurp of the noodle without it breaking the longer your life is supposed to be. We intend to slurp long and hard.

Slurping away 2 years ago.

Hope you are all having a great time preparing for whatever the passing of the old and the entering of the new year is going to bring for you.

Warm wishes.