New Year’s Eve
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A Quiet New Year’s Eve with Toshikoshi Soba
静かな大晦日、年越し蕎麦の時間
A traditional Japanese New Year’s Eve is often marked by a visit to a local shrine or temple. At home, however, the customary meal is toshikoshi soba (年越し蕎麦), which consists of buckwheat noodles eaten to mark the passing of the year.
This tradition is believed to have become widespread during the mid-Edo period (1603–1867), particularly in the 18th century. According to the Tokyo Soba Association, the symbolism behind toshikoshi soba lies in the nature of the noodles themselves: their long, thin shape represents longevity, while their fragility makes them easy to cut, symbolizing the act of severing misfortune from the year just passed and welcoming the New Year with a clean slate.
The New Year’s soba prepared at home for this meal included the following:
The main dish consisted of buckwheat noodles served in a light soy-based broth, topped with sliced green onions, pink-and-white kamaboko (fish cake), and spinach.
Three side dishes accompanied the soba: kakiage tempura (かき揚げ), a mixed vegetable fritter made with sliced onions, carrots, and shrimp; inari sushi (稲荷寿司), featuring sushi rice tucked inside sweetened fried tofu pockets; and tsukemono (漬物), a selection of pickled vegetables including daikon (Japanese radish) and purple pickles. To finish, the soba was seasoned with shichimi tōgarashi (七味唐辛子), a fragrant seven-spice chili blend traditionally sprinkled over noodles.
The past year has been a challenging one, as it often is. Still, as this meal symbolizes renewal and letting go, I quietly hope that the coming year will bring steadier days, better health, and fewer hardships than the one before.
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Timestamp: 2025/12/31・21:45
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
23 mm ISO 160 for 1/8 sec. at ƒ/2.2
Provia/Standard film simulation
References:
Dale-chan the border collie, patiently watching me enjoy my toshikoshi soba 😅🍜 年越し蕎麦の時間、じっと見つめるデールちゃん。
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Timestamp: 2025/12/31・22:22
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
23 mm ISO 3200 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/3.6
Astia/Soft film simulation
