There are many wonderful and interesting customs associated with New Year in Japan but one that I think will resonate with many people is related to soba noodles!
For those who haven’t come across them before, soba noodles are traditional Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour. You can buy 100% buckwheat noodles but in most cases the buckwheat is combined with a small amount of wheat flour for texture and elasticity.
These delicious noodles are thin, light grey-brown in colour and have a slightly nutty flavour. They can be enjoyed all year round, hot in soup or cold with a tasty dipping sauce.
Soba are an integral part of Japanese cuisine, not only appreciated for their taste but also for their health benefits as buckwheat is rich in nutrients like protein, fibre and essential amino acids.
But at New Year, in a dish known as toshikoshi soba (年越しそば), these noodles have taken on an additional symbolic meaning.
Toshikoshi soba at New Year
In a custom which is said to date back to the Edo period (1603–1868), it has become a tradition to eat soba noodles on New Year’s Eve in Japan.
Influenced by Buddhist ideas of simplicity and cleansing at the end of the year, it's a beautiful tradition that combines practicality with a deep symbolism.
The practical side says that you might want a lighter meal and something easy to digest before the full-on Osechi Ryōri of New Year’s Day. But the symbolic meaning of eating toshikoshi soba, literally ‘year-crossing soba’, is rather fascinating and a thought provoking idea.
The sentiment is often expressed in a saying:
- 'Toshikoshi soba o tabete, yaku o tatsu', 年越しそばを食べて、厄(やく)を断つ
This translates as 'eat toshikoshi soba and cut off misfortunes.' The idea being that the act of eating and 'cutting' the soba noodles as you chew means you can sever ties with bad experiences, setting you up for a fresh, positive start in the New Year.
Letting go of hardships
While the long, thin soba noodles are thought to bring long life and prosperity into the New Year, the ease with which they are cut has come to mean a symbolic breaking away from the hardships and misfortunes of the past year.
In addition, buckwheat, the main ingredient of soba noodles, is a hardy plant that grows in poor soil and in this way the noodles also represent a resilience and reminder to persevere, much like the plant, in adverse conditions.
Some similar sayings associated with eating soba at New Year are:
- Hosoku nagaku ikiru, 細く長く生きる or 'Live long and thin'.
This refers to the long, slender soba noodles as a symbol of a long and peaceful life. It’s a reminder of the value of perseverance and moderation.
- Ichinen no yaku o tatsu, 一年の厄を断つ or 'Cut off the year's misfortunes'.
This saying ties into the idea that eating soba on New Year’s Eve severs the bad luck accumulated over the year.
How toshikoshi soba is enjoyed
Different regions in Japan have different customs but typically toshikoshi soba is eaten in a hot soup or as chilled noodles dipped in tsuyu sauce. Both ways are delicious and soba noodles make a lighter dish that's easy to enjoy and digest before the heavier celebrations of New Year's Day.
Most people eat toshikoshi soba before midnight on 31 December, New Year’s Eve, and finishing the bowl before the year ends is seen as important for leaving hardships behind. For many, it’s a quiet family-centred meal before the grander festivities begin the next day.
New Year’s Eve is also a time when families engage in Ōsōji, or thorough cleaning of their homes. The reason for this is to rid the house of bad luck and impurities and, much like the soba tradition, is meant to cleanse personal misfortunes and the hope of starting afresh in the coming year.
Starting the New Year
As New Year’s Day dawns in Japan, hatsuhinode (初日の出) or watching the first sunrise of the year is a much loved tradition that symbolizes hope and renewal.
Later in the day families will enjoy an elaborate feast known as Ōsechi Ryōri composed of beautifully arranged dishes with symbolic meanings such as prosperity, health and happiness. Much planning and effort will have gone into preparing and presenting this meal with many of the dishes being prepared in advance.
In the tradition of Otoshidama (お年玉), children receive gifts of money in decorated envelopes from family members. And maybe people will make their first visit of the year to a shrine or temple to pray for good fortune.
Traditional decorations like Kadomatsu (pine and bamboo arrangements) and Shimenawa (sacred ropes) adorn homes and businesses to welcome the gods of the New Year.
Across the world, the New Year is seen as a time when many people reflect on where their lives are going and take time to reassess priorities and past mistakes. And simple customs like these can create a beautiful ritual for letting go of the old and welcoming in the new.
We all deserve a fresh start sometimes and perhaps these Japanese traditions can serve as inspiration and allow a space to help someone make up their mind, resolve to do better or to move on and not dwell on previous hardships.