New Year Decoration Japanese Supermarkets Photo Galore
Bye bye Christmas Hello New Year! There is no time to lose. From the biggest supermarkets to the 100 yen shops the New Year Decoration is in full fledged invasion in Japan. The items are different in size, shape and color as well purpose but the dominant theme is red. I highly skillful and motivated team from the chottomatte network was promptly dispatched to document the event. Here are the first pictures from the developing story:
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The most common item is kagami mochi. Traditionally it is with a small orange on the top but hey, it is Tiger year coming and the traditions are not any more what they used to be so here comes the new – Tiger Kagami Mochi (the picture to the right):
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A big WARNING with the Kagami mochi: Yes, it is a mochi but do no try to eat it raw. Chottomatte’s team tried to it it raw and they tried hard but the Kagami mochi was harder. If you want to eat it – cook it. It is meant to stay as a decoration for up to several weeks in people’s home Shinto altars so it must be durable and dry. No way you can chew through it unless you apply some sort of thermal procedure (boiling) before. Of course they come in all forms and shapes (and prices):
In case you are a purist and you do not like the idea of Tiger Kagami mochi you can buy just a tiger in the 100 yen shop or may be a branch of ume (ume = plum tree – not to be mixed with the sakura cherry trees (the cherry trees usually flower in April, the ume trees in January)):
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Also let not forget the dried persimmon (Kichisen Osechi):
What is left – the green things (the shimenawa):
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The oranges corner and the plum like branches decoration:
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All the pictures were taken from Blumer supermarket or Gourmet city (HAT Kobe).
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