Osechi Ryori (New Year Food), Okayama, Japan

Osechi-ryōri (御節料理) is a subset of Japanese cuisine made up of dishes that are traditionally eaten on New Year’s. Since it was historically taboo to cook on New Year’s day, Osechi dishes are typically stewed with lots of sugar, or preserved with vinegar. There is a huge variety of dishes, each one symbolizing a wish for things like long life, wealth, joy and good fortune. The food is then meticulously plated in a 2-3 tiered lacquered box called a jubako, which the whole family eats from.