Osechi Ryori is the traditional food enjoyed on New Year’s Day in Japan. The assortment of colorful dishes are packed and displayed in special stacking boxes called jubako. Every Osechi dish has a special meaning in welcoming the New Year.
The Japanese celebrate the New Year Day with traditional New Year foods called Osechi Ryori (おせち料理). It is considered the most important meal of the year as each dish serves as well-wishes for the coming year.
What is Osechi Ryori?
Similar to bento boxes, Osechi Ryori is usually packed in 2-3 layers of lacquer boxes (ojubako) and there are many dishes in each layer. The entire family would share one ojubako to enjoy on New Year’s Day. The multi-tiered boxes symbolize the hope that happiness and wealth come continuously, like the layers of lacquerware.
To welcome the New Year with you, I’ve included a selection of popular Osechi Ryori dishes below. Each recipe also comes with a video that guides you through the cooking process. I hope you enjoy the spread!
And don’t miss our popular side dishes & desserts to serve with Osechi.
22 Popular Osechi Ryori Dishes
- Sweet Rolled Omelette (Datemaki) 伊達巻
- Candied Chestnut and Sweet Potatoes (Kuri Kinton) 栗きんとん
- Candied Anchovies (Tazukuri) 田作り
- Sweet Black Soybeans (Kuromame) 黒豆 and Instant Pot Kuromame
- Herring Roe (Kazunoko) 数の子
- Daikon & Carrot Salad (Namasu) 紅白なます
- Pickled Chrysanthemum Turnip (Kikka Kabu) 菊花かぶ
- Pickled Lotus Root (Su Renkon) 酢れんこん
- Pounded Burdock Root with Sesame Sauce (Tataki Gobo) たたきごぼう
- Simmered Chicken and Vegetables (Chikuzenni) 筑前煮
- Instant Pot Nishime 煮しめ
- Simmered Shrimp (Ebi no Umani) えびのうま煮
- Salmon Kombu Roll (Kobumaki) 鮭の昆布巻き
- Yellowtail Teriyaki (Buri no Teriyaki) ぶりの照り焼き
- Butter Soy Sauce Scallops ホタテのバター醤油焼き
- Decorative Fish Cakes (Kamaboko) かまぼこ飾り切り
- Kamaboko Fish Cake with Salmon Roe 蒲鉾いくらのせ
- Kanto-style Ozoni (New Year’s Soup) 関東風お雑煮
- Kansai-style Ozoni (New Year’s Soup) 関西風お雑煮
- Fresh Homemade Mochi お餅の作り方
- How to Eat Mochi (Japanese Rice Cakes) お餅各種
- Sweet Red Bean Paste (Anko) 餡子
1. Datemaki (Sweet Rolled Omelette) 伊達巻
Typically served in a lacquered jubako (special square boxes similar to lunch boxes), Datemaki is a sweet rolled omelette that makes a very popular Japanese New Year’s food. It is by far my favorite dish among the new year foods. And I hope you give this delicate-looking omelette a try too!
2. Kuri Kinton (Candied Chestnut with Sweet Potatoes) 栗きんとん
Kurikinton literary means “chestnut gold mash”, which symbolizes economic fortune and wealth. It’s important for New Year meal to bring good luck and prosperity. If you make this dish, please use Japanese Sweet Potatoes for its bright yellow color. Not only they are sweeter than regular sweet potatoes, yellow is also an auspicious color for the new year.
3. Tazukuri (Candied Sardines) 田作り
Made of roasted baby sardines & coated in a sweet soy sauce glaze, Tazukuri is another popular dish for Osechi Ryori. We eat it on New Year’s day as it symbolizes a bountiful harvest. Tazukuri (田作り) literally translates to “making (作り) rice paddy (田)” as sardines were once used as fertilizers for rice fields.
4. Kuromame (Sweet Black Soybeans) 黒豆
Kuromame literally means “black bean (黒豆)” in Japanese, and it is often served on New Year’s Day as a part of Osechi Ryori. The shiny black beans make a beautiful contrast to the red lacquer jubako container, which holds all different kinds of colorful traditional meals. Eating kuromame also is considered good for your health for the new year. If you want to cut down on cooking time, you can use your pressure cooker and follow this Instant Pot Kuromame recipe.
5. Kazunoko (Herring Roe) 数の子
We enjoy this golden-colored Kazunoko on New Year’s day as it symbolizes a prosperous family and many offsprings. This prized delicacy has a unique crunchy texture and it’s one of the most popular dishes among Osechi Ryori.
6. Namasu (Daikon & Carrot Salad) 紅白なます
Namasu is a daikon and carrot salad that is lightly pickled in sweetened vinegar. This dish was introduced to Japan from China around the 700s (Nara period) and it is especially enjoyed during the New Year in Japan. Since red and white are considered celebratory colors in Japan, you will see these colors being used in many traditional ceremonies. This salad is easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time.
7. Pickled Chrysanthemum Turnip 菊花かぶ
Simple decorative touches on a vegetable can transform a dish from ordinary to special. These Pickled Chrysanthemum Turnips will bring your Osechi Ryori game to the next level. And you only need some basic cutting techniques!
8. Pickled Lotus Root (Su Renkon) 酢れんこん
Marinated in a sweet vinegared sauce, Pickled Lotus Root called Su Renkon (酢れんこん) is one of the popular Osechi Ryori, the Japanese New Year Food.
9. Pounded Burdock Root with Sesame Sauce (Tataki Gobo) たたきごぼう
Dressed in a delicious sesame sauce, this Pounded Burdock Root (Tataki Gobo) is a popular dish that appeared in Osechi, Japanese New Year Food, which is said to bring good luck.
10. Chikuzenni (Simmered Chicken & Vegetables) 筑前煮
Chikuzenni is a classic Japanese dish often served on New Year’s Day, but my mom makes it regularly because it was my family’s favorite Nimono (Japanese simmered dish). This is also a popular side dish for bento because it can be made in advance and still tastes great at room temperature. For New Year’s dish, the vegetables and konnyaku are cut into fancy shapes to celebrate the occasion.
11. Instant Pot Nishime 煮しめ
Simmered in a savory dashi-based sauce, Nishime is a classic one-pot vegetable stew to serve in Osechi Ryori for the Japanese New Year’s celebration. If you have a pressure cooker, follow my Instant Pot Nishime recipe to speed up the cooking process.
12. Simmered Shrimp (Ebi no Umani) えびのうま煮
Simmered shrimp cooked in dashi soy sauce and soaked overnight, this beautiful dish adds bright color and delicious flavor to your Osechi Ryori.
13. Salmon Kombu Roll 鮭の昆布巻き
Flavorful salmon rolled up in kombu and tied with kanpyo (gourd strips), Salmon Kombu Roll is a traditional Japanese dish for the New Year. Representing the secrets of perennial youth and long life, you may be tempted to devour more than one of these exquisite appetizers.
14. Yellowtail Teriyaki ぶりの照り焼き
Yellowtail Teriyaki, or Buri no Teriyaki, is a classic fish dish in Japan. Simple and elegant with the perfect glaze of teriyaki sauce, this dish is a perfect main dish to enjoy on New Year’s Day.
15. Butter Soy Sauce Scallops ホタテのバター醤油焼き
Pan-fried to perfection and seasoned with just soy sauce and butter, these Butter Soy Sauce Scallops are unbeatable in my book. Each morsel is so tender, flavorful, and so addicting! This is a crowd-pleaser appetizer you can make in no time. Perfect for any Japanese-inspired party!
16. 7 Beautiful Designs to Cut Japanese Fish Cake (Kamaboko) かまぼこの飾り切り
Two Japanese fish cakes (Kamaboko), seven beautiful designs to cut Japanese fish cake! Make ordinary fish cake into decorative designs on this Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year)!
17. Kamaboko Fish Cake with Salmon Roe 蒲鉾いくらのせ
With its elegant presentation, Kamaboko Fish Cake with Salmon Roe makes an impressive addition to your Osechi Ryori. You’d be surprised how easy it is to make the recipe. Simply make small slits across the Kamaboko (fish cake), stuff in shiso leaf, and top with golden salmon roe.
18. Kanto-style Ozoni (New Year’s Soup) 関東風お雑煮
Ozoni (Japanese New Year Mochi Soup) is a clear dashi-based mochi soup with chicken and seasonal vegetables, which is enjoyed in the Kanto region (Eastern Japan). This comforting winter soup usually includes toasted mochi, chicken, and Japanese mustard spinach and is served with varieties of Osechi Ryori.
19. Kansai-style Ozoni (New Year’s Soup) 関西風お雑煮
This Kansai-style Ozoni is a miso-based soup enjoyed in the morning on New Year’s Day. The soup includes mochi (rice cake), and the preparation varies by region and household. My recipe is an adaptation from my mom’s recipe where I include leafy green vegetables and yuzu peel.
20. Homemade Fresh Mochi スタンドミキサーで作る餅の作り方
Make fresh homemade mochi using a stand mixer! Stuff the mochi with your favorite filling, dip in a savory or sweet coating, or enjoy it in Japanese New Year Soup and red bean soup.
21. Mochi (Japanese Rice Cakes) お餅各種
From sweet to savory, there are various types of mochi (Japanese rice cake) we enjoy in Japan. For savory dishes, mochi is used as a topping for Ozoni, hot udon noodle soup, or inside Okonomiyaki. For sweet dishes, you will find Mochi Ice Cream, Zenzai (Oshiruko), Strawberry Daifuku, and so on. So for Japanese New Year, you have the perfect excuse to enjoy them all.
22. Sweet Red Bean Paste (Anko) 餡子
Red bean paste (or Anko in Japanese) is used as a filling in many delicious Japanese sweets and desserts. This Pressure Cooker Anko recipe is an easy way to prepare sweet bean paste without much hassle. Once it’s cooked, you are set to make all sorts of mochi or Dorayaki and Taiyaki. Don’t have a pressure cooker? Here’s the traditional stovetop method.
More Helpful Guides for Japanese New Year
- Japanese New Year (History, Custom & Traditions)
- A 5-Day Osechi Cooking Timeline
- How to Pack Osechi Ryori in 3-Tier Boxes
- Popular Side Dishes & Desserts to Serve with Osechi Ryori
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Editor’s Note: Original post was published on Dec 27, 2015. The content has been updated on December 27, 2022.
Hello Nami-san. I plan to use your wonderful Osechi recipes again this year for New Years. I plan to make some things a couple days ahead of time. Is there an order in which I should make these? For example, some can be reheated and made ahead of time while others should be made close to the date? Do you have a countdown, checklist of Osechi?
Hi Yuko! We make Osechi a few days before January 1, usually starting 30, making red bean paste (anko) and some of the food that last longer (simmered dishes etc). I don’t have the time to organize and write the cooking schedule but I’ll make a note for next year so I can make a list. All the food is seasoned a bit stronger/sweeter, so the food can stay longer (preservation). Thank you for your request.
Hi Nami-san,
I’m curious, can you choose to make only a few of these dishes, and would that still count as an adequate Osechi Ryouri meal? Or do you have to make all of these dishes for it to be a traditional Osechi Ryouri meal? Thanks!
明けましておめでとうございます!! レシピ で ありがとうね!
Hi Rei! Yes, some people may all/most of it, some makes some, there is no rule. 🙂 A lot of people make ones that family likes, or easy one…. these days a lot of people pre-order osechi too. 🙂
良いお年を！We say this before the New Year comes. 🙂
Hi Nami,
Do you have any recipes using kinako butter? My sister brought me a jar, and I don’t know what to do with it. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thank you,
June
Hi June! I had never had a chance to try kinako butter, but besides the obvious toast option (so yum, have you made Ogura Toast – recipe on the blog – with this butter?), how about pancakes, crepe, cookies, bread, dorayaki, to think of a few at this moment….
Hi Nami! This was my first time making Osechi Ryori since my mother-in-law was too ill. this year. If it wasn’t for your blog, I wouldn’t have any idea how to prepare our usual dishes. I tried a few of your recipes – the Kanto Style Ozoni, Namasu and Kamaboko with Shiso leaf & Ikura. My mother-in-law loved the flavor combination of the shiso, ikura & kamaboku! Thank you for helping me to make a New Years special dinner for our family and I hope next year I can make even more dishes!
Hi Janet! Wow I’m so happy to hear you tried making osechi ryori for the first time! Shiso and ikura goes well together. I’m glad to hear your MIL enjoyed it. 🙂 New Year’s Day is a very important celebration for Japanese and I’m sure your MIL really appreciate your effort and thoughts. It’s very very sweet of you! 🙂
Hi Nami. I love your recipes! My mom used to make Tai-no shiyoyaki for New Year’s. How do I make this? Also, the kazunoko. I thought it was eaten right out of the package. I didn’t know you have to prepare it because it’s so salty. Do you have instructions? I’m so lost, now that my mom is older and she no longer visits me from Japan. Unfortunately, she never taught me to cook! : (
Hi Yuko! I went to a Japanese supermarket today and got some kazunoko. I’m going to make it later today and hopefully photoshoot tomorrow morning, and write a post. It requires 1-2 days (as you said need to de-salt and marinate). Hopefully it requires enough time for you to prepare… New Year food is always tricky as ingredients are not available until the end of the year and I don’t have enough production time before posting. :/ Hopefully I can add at least one recipe every year…
Ohaiyo Gozaimasu Nami-San !
My mother used a vegetable she called “Mizuna” in her Ozoni recipe. Is this similasr to “mitsuba” ?
Konnichiwa Doug! Yes, you can add mizuna as a type of green vegetable. Mitsuba is more like herb but mizuna is leafy vegetables (here’s the pic: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/mizuna/)
Hi Nami,
Thank you for all the yummy photos. Do most Japanese families still make the food themselves to celebrate big festivals or do most buy takeout bentos like the one above? Also, how about eating out at restaurants? I’d like to compare it with how Chinese culture celebrate big festivals. Before, Chinese families cook their own meals and celebrate at home but now, everybody just gather at local restaurants which is not very traditional…
Hi Ka! I don’t have a good statistics to tell you the % of people who purchase osechi vs. one who makes from scratch. I think we have 3 types.
1) Majority of osechi foods are prepared at home
2) Buy assortment of osechi foods and pack osechi yourself (you might cook some foods)
3) Order the osechi from a store
I think, if you live in a big city, there are so many popular restaurants, department stores, shops, and supermarkets that take pre-order of osechi. And people live in the city are mostly a nuclear family (a family of 4) who eat osechi on New Year’s Day (no relatives to eat with). Many moms (usually the cook in a Japanese family) may think it’s too much hassle to make a full osechi.
If you live in suburbs or rural areas, the stores who take order may be limited (although online is popular), and you tend to have a bigger family (with grandparents etc) and you will need more food than just a typical osechi. Then I think it’s possible that you would prepare osechi and other new years food for everyone. And there are more people who cook together, like grandma, aunts, etc.
I don’t like generalizing because this totally depends on family dynamics… but if you live in Tokyo, you have so many good places you can order from, and if it’s for a family of 4, I think more and more people order osechi. But a lot of my friends are a housewife and they love cooking, and they make their own osechi even though there live in the city and have a small family…
But I understand and witness what you mean about Chinese families. I think, more Chinese women work full time and don’t cook everyday while majority of Japanese married women are housewives (still). So the % of people who cook osechi is still higher, I think. Again, no statistics to back up…
After marrying to a Chinese person, I also learned that Chinese people (I know) are far more flexible and adaptable than Japanese people who tend to feel more comfortable in following what majority does…. therefore, changes are very slow. But I bet more people order oschi than previous year… 🙂
Hope this helps a bit, and all the thoughts are my own. 🙂
Hi Nami!
Happy New Year!! Thank you for sharing your recipes for New Years. Our family still make Mochi every year. We no longer pound the Mochi but we do have our machine to make it. My favorite way to eat Mochi is with kinako and a walnut paste that my uncle used to make. I think it’s called kurumi? I just love the sweet salty walnut taste that it has. Would you do happen to have a recipe for this? I’ve been searching for one but haven’t found a good one yet!!
Thank you!
Riona
Happy New Year, Riona! How wonderful that your family makes fresh mochi every year. I would love to start my own tradition someday… :) Interesting! I had never had Kurumi Mochi (kurumi = walnut). I checked online and it’s a regional favorite especially in the northern and western parts of Japan.
I don’t have a recipe, but found this which looks delicious: http://kokonuggetyumyum.blogspot.com/2006/02/project-mochi-vol-3.html
If you can read Japanese, here’s another one that looks good: http://cookpad.com/recipe/2451103 or with miso included http://cookpad.com/recipe/2954819
Happy New Year!!! Kotoshimo ta no mi masu. I tried your Kanto style ozoni soup – success!!! I am so anxious to try so many of your recipes this year!!! Thanks for sharing your great ideas.
Happy New Year Chiyo! Kochirakoso honnen mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. I’m happy to hear your kanto style ozoni came out well! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Thank you SO much for posting a full-on osechi-ryori recipe collection! Welp, I’m off to Oto’s Market (Sacramento CA) for a ton of ingredients. And possibly Sakura Gifts for a nice jubako, if they’re not too expensive. Have a wonderful New Year!
Hi Shane! It’s great that we have a good supermarket nearby. I’ve never been to Oto’s, but hope to visit one day! Happy New Year to you and your family!
Akemashite omedetou! Update: for New Year I bought a three-tray ojubako, filled the base tray with chikuzenni, the middle one with sekihan, and the top tray with datemaki, kamaboko with roe, kuri kinton, kuromame and namasu. I also made Kanto-style ozoni (subbing tofu for chicken since there was the chikuzenni). Posted some pics online and my Japanese mom and auntie were both EXTREMELY impressed! Think I will make it a yearly tradition from now on–thanks again for the recipes.
Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu, Shane! That is amazing! Your osechi sounds very beautiful with all the special foods and I can totally see your mom and auntie were impressed! Thank you for trying my recipes. I’m so happy to hear you will try making this yearly. AWESOME!
Thanks for sharing your New Year’s celebration. Last year, my husband and I had the privilege of celebrating New Year’s in Tokyo with my son, daughter in law and her family. I enjoyed Osechi Ryori and visiting the shrine on New Year’s Day. The candied sardines were my favorite! I look forward to returning to Japan again. I love your site and recipes. Thanks for all your hard work.
Hi Jane! How wonderful that you got to celebrate the New Years in Japan! I love spending the New Years in Japan as it’s more festive. 🙂 Thank you for your kind words about my blog! Happy New Year to you and your family!
Thank you Nami for the recipes! I will try spme of these for sure, rolled pancakes are awesome, and the sweet potato with chestnuts is new for me so I will try it out!
Thank you Genus! Hope you had a chance to try it out. 🙂
That’s right! I tried out and enjoyed ozoni soup (the clear kanto version was awesome), mochi, namasu and datemaki (It becomes more and more like a real roll but I still have a lot to learn…) and for the first time kuri kinton (unfortunately I used sweet potatoes that I can but here, no japanese sweet potatoes, and neither the gardenia buds) Which was very sweet for my taste, more like a dessert- we use to have a traditional sweet rice porridge here in Sweden that is called Rice a la Malta (rice porridge cooked with milk and almonds,served with some clementine sauce or juice) and whole family thought it’s more like this dish that we enjoy as a dessert… I really hope it wasn’t so bad for the japanese traditions that we did so…
Hi Genus! Glad to hear you got to try making osechi! Kuri Kinton is very sweet, and I consider it’s dessert sweetness too. I don’t know why it’s always that sweet. The store bought one is even sweeter. We don’t consider it as a savory but it is always added to osechi. Since the other dishes are salty savory dishes, it kind of balances out (or give a nice break)… 🙂
Congrats! Happy new year, Feliz Ano Novo
Happy New Year to you too, Marcelo! 🙂
Omg so many yummy things! I’m lucky if I can get one of those done. haha
Hi Stacey! I know, Japanese people take like 2 days to make the entire Osechi Ryori! 😀
Hi Nami, I have looked at all these great recipes & I am so surprised on how good there are. My family doesn’t like any type of Asian food but they liked it when I cooked Chicken Katsu for them & so im thinking on making onigiri for a friend of mine who is coming to visit me next week & I hope it goes great. I might even try making some other dishes for Christmas & New Years :3
Hi Ivy! Thank you so much! I hope your family will enjoy Onigiri too! Osechi ryori is a bit time consuming but it’s worth it at the end… 🙂 Thanks so much for reading my post!