It’s time to think of 2009?
Posted by: kirin on 
Oct 18th, 2008 | 
Filed under: Daily Life
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It’s my favorite season, autumn in Japan. Best season for foods, sports, book reading, travelling, etc., etc… At the same time though, do we have to think forward and forward, to prepare for end-of-year and comming new year?
It’s our culture to eat Osechi cuisine on a new year day and several days after then. Osechi is usually precooked by a housewife from new year eve so that we can eat them while new year days since we have 5 or 6 days holiday at a new year time and stores are considered all closed. |
But that’s an old story. Japanese are known as “work too much people” (I do dislike this but…) and nowadays especially at Tokyo area, grocery stores are open from very new year’s day, (1st January) so there’s no functional or practical meaning that we have to stick to this old custom any more, if only we discard all the meaning Osechi cuisine has.
Osechi cuisine as you can see, consists of many kinds of foods. Each food has a meaning such as longevity. These days stores open from 1st Jan. and there should be no reason that we have to eat Osechi day after day, but in spite of that, the trend goes opposite. Deluxe Osechi sells so well and people are willing to pay for a beautiful and tempting Osechi boxes.
It’s weird to write this but I’m personally bored of my life in Japan. How much I wish I could live a pretty new life somewhere else than Japan where I can learn the custom or culture from zero. So I’m totally fed up with the same thing coming year after year. Having Deluxe Osechi might allow me to have some “change” from ordinary every year so far? I doubt. I’m dying for a change!! Blogging to get connected with people from other countries at least gives me a little feeling as if I were out of here. It’s funny some of my blog readers dream to come or live in Japan, while I dream to do that out of Japan!
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October 19th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I used to think so too until I moved half way across the world n found that life is just as mundane – working long days just to pay the bills !
When u viewed the world from a distance or as a tourist, it looks so great. Best thing to do is to go on a tour during ur annual leave, enjoy those moments n then settle back into ur familiar life. This way u hv the best of both worlds
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
@Dutchie,
That sounds true. I think I understand what you mean.
Did you move half way across the world?
That sounds so exciting! I used to live & work in Australia but I realized I feel bored whenever I settle at one place to work.
I wish I could go travelling as often as I used to…but once I get married it’s getting so hard to achieve that…
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:29 am
I dream of traveling to just about anywhere. I spent time in Canada, and I lived a little in England when I was very small. Right now I mostly want to travel to find my little place in the world… And then do some vacation traveling! Haha It’s only a dream, and whenever I say that to anyone here, they tell me I need to be more realistic.
I read your blog so that I can feel as though I’m living in Japan, it’s called ‘living vicariously.’ I do that alot with the blogs I read online. I also learn so much that I wouldn’t otherwise know. ^-^
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 am
@Rwen,
I dream of travelling around the world, too!
Just as you mention, blogging is one of the casual ways to get connected with people from other countries, to see how they lead their local life, and to feel “as if” experiences.
If I had more time to spare, I’d be able to read more blogs but at a moment, keeping up with my own is not even satisfactory level…*sweat* (o_o;)
October 28th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Hello kirin,
Yes, I left my sunny paradise in singapore to live here in Holland.
The first years of my marriage I went everywhere with my husband. It’s exciting at first but I got bored after a while bec it boils down to taking in the sights, tasting good n bad food n missing my personal space. Long time on the roads is not ideal for me bec I’m quite a homey person.
U seemed very interested in travelling, so plan n saved for it. It’s true that it’s easier to travel while when u r still single or not having kids if u r married.
Hope ur wish will be fulfilled
January 4th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
[...] spend this period, most of us will just follow the traditional way of celebrating a new year with Osechi dish and Ozoni (soup with baked rice cake) to eat, exchanging new year cards between friends, [...]
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