I say again because after I started this column, I looked back at previous articles then realized I used the same title back in October 2009. So while the title is almost verbatim, I won’t plagiarize myself with the content. But noodles do play a traditional role during Oshogatsu, both before and after the turning […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: The grain that binds us
January 1, 2018 by Leave a Comment
What is the one constant not just during Oshogatsu but throughout the whole year? It’s not toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles), which is usually only consumed right before the turning of the new year. Sure, we may consume soba during the year, but not with any regularity. And it’s not lobster or shrimp that symbolizes a […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Oshogatsu of the past
January 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Well, another year has come and gone in what seemed like a blur in time. This is partially due to that theory of relativity — since I’m down to that last third of my personal movie, with the credits waiting to appear in the wings, every year seems to be progressing a lot faster — […]
FANTASTIC VOYAGE: Looking back, looking forward: Traditions on the decline
January 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment
I’ve been teaching English in Japan for a long time, and around New Year’s, I always ask students if they eat osechi ryori. Out of the 50 or so elementary school students that I asked this year, about half said “no.” Given that it’s a very small sample size in a remote part of Japan, […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Eat rice
January 1, 2015 by Leave a Comment
A few years ago, local comedian Frank DeLima delivered a commencement address that started like this: “Eat rice. If you only pay attention to one thing I say, pay attention to this: Rice is the breakfast of champions … the lunch of champions … the dinner of champions. Whole empires, entire dynasties have been built […]
LET’S TALK: About coping with stress
January 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
You may notice that some days just go along quite smoothly, and you hardly notice any emotional or physical discomfort. Other days, you may find yourself feeling agitated, irritable and even a little sick, or on the other hand, excited, exuberant and anxious. These may just be the normal ups and downs of life, or […]
GOCHISO GOURMET: The Gochiso Gourmet’s Oshogatsu
January 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment
This year Oshogatsu is taking a slightly different turn at the Tatsumoto abode. Normally we engage in the frantic end-of-the-year housecleaning and last minute food preparation for both the eve and the day, then slide into the New Year with one simple task — finishing the traditional ozoni as the first meal of the New […]
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