I was very fortunate to be invited to a Japanese household to celebrate Japanese new year (Shogatsu) with Osechi (new years special dishes). That's food, so I was THERE! My student, Ryota, invited all of us. Tim had to work, and William had school. I thought this event (getting to go in a genuine Japanese house) was worth a hookey day.
Kamaboko (fish cake) is served in white and pink for celebration colors. Kuromame, (sweetened black bean) is a wish for good health.
Kazunoko (herring roe) is a wish for prosperity. It was quite nice, and kind of crunchy. It wasn't fish oily at all.
Kurikinton (mashed sweet potato and chestnuts) is also for prosperity. Yellow foods signify this.
Chirashizushi (scattered sushi) was oh so good!!! Ryota's grandmother made it. Basically, you make the rice, and scatter whatever ingredients you like on top of it.
Ozoni (rice cake soup) is different in different areas, but this was a chicken base. William was so excited. He said, "Mom, this is one of the soups I loved at Yochien!" Inside were a few vegetables, and a few mochi balls that were baked on a mochi-ami (wire grill). Mochi is made from a special rice variety that is very glutenous. Mochi is pounded rice (you pound ku, or suffering, into submission when preparing it), so it's like a dried thick paste. Rice preparation was a daily task. At shogatsu, they should eat only mochi (prepared historically on the 29th, but now there's a whole season of them) for 3-7 days. Mochi -mai (that particular rice) doesn't yield much, or they'd do this more. But it can be dried and stored for several days.
Ryota's mother, Mayumi, William, me and Ryota's grandmother. Ryota's dad would get up in the middle of the meal and go do something. Ryota said it was different than in the states, when everyone sits down and eats at once. It is acceptable to go take care of something you think of while eating. This led to quite the discussion (Ryota didn't explain all of it, he just kept saying, 'Arguing!') about it between his grandmother and father. I took it that she thinks Japanese do eat together, but now it is more common to be a little free-er at meal times.
They entertained William well. Ryota's dad has an impressive slot car collection. William was more enamored with this Japanese baseball game. You pitch the ball (spring loaded button) or batted (pressed a button and it swung). Where the ball went was what the score was. I got bored, but Mayumi played an entire 9 inning game with William.
Their house is very multi-functional and smaller than it looks in these pictures. But, I felt that it was full of love and wonderful. Grandma and Grandpa live down a big hill near the train station in a tall apartment building. We notice it now when we're heading up to Yokohama.
There's the dishwasher.
And this is the kitchen. Those cupboards are packed with dishes. Very efficient.
This dog is wearing a Yokosuka coat. He was down at the train station. Ryota had picked us up and drove us there. I was impressed at how small the roads were going to his house, and how well he drove. William wanted to ride the trains on the way back.
A Yokosuka coat is a satin finish with a lot of embroidery.
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