I wish you a very happy and peaceful new year for 2011.

The above is Fuku [福」(means Happiness in Japanese), our beloved cat.

The very first meal in New Year is very important in Japan.　It is time for reunion of the family as well.

I have cooked the meal called ‘Osechi‘ . It is to be served in the wooden box painted by ’Urushi‘ (a kind of juice taken from ivy family), and has a strict regulations about  what to eat, and how to put in the top, middle or bottom box.

Our life in Japan nowadays is very simplified with modern high-techs, but I feel we are rather conservative about food all the time.  We often have traditional style Japanese cuisine, as well as we love to eat steak and frites, hamburgers or pastas.