Just a quick post showing you what the traditional Japanese osechi breakfast can look like. It's pretty freaking beautiful. It's mostly for show and symbolism, though—I enjoy eating this thoroughly, but I don't wait for it all year like I do turkey and cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving.

The picture looks like a standard commercially prepared set. What we do is make our own set of just the foods we like. It always includes homemade tazukuri, beans, tsukudani fish, and of course datemaki, which is prominently missing from your picture. Much better than turkey, for sure.
Posted by: Wataru Tenga | January 06, 2009 at 02:48 AM
Yup. Those are commercially available. Even small ones can cost upwards of $200 and is offered everywhere including convenience stores.
Makes women's lives easier as they don't have to slave in the kitchen for days making this stuff, especially dishes like kuromame that can literally take days.
This is from a few years back. From (according to mom) a famous restaurant in Kyoto.
http://www.timarai.com/blog/2007/01/13/the-new-years-feast/
May not be home made (except the ozoni) but it was damn good! Especially the lobster!!
Posted by: Nobita | January 06, 2009 at 10:37 AM