Table Setting #171 
Bites of Blessings: Osechi Ryori on Elegant Small Plates 

As we welcome the New Year, embracing traditions becomes a beautiful way of celebrating the passage of time and the arrival of another year filled with hopeful anticipation and happy wishes. In Japan, osechi ryori is such a tradition enjoyed during the New Year. Osechi ryori is a collection of symbolic and celebratory dishes, reflecting wishes of happiness and good fortune for the coming year.
Welcome the New Year with a festive table for an easy-to-prepare yet elegant osechi dining experience.

Contents

• Osechi Ryori for Two
• Small Plates, Big Celebrations
• New Chopsticks for a New Year
• Featured Items

Key points of this table setting

1. Osechi Ryori for Two

Traditionally dished up in stacked Jubako bento boxes, our osechi ryori this year takes a charming yet sophisticated spin on this time-honored tradition. This fresh take not only opens the door to newcomers eager to explore osechi ryori but also infuses a personal flair.

Our table, adorned with exquisite Kutani porcelain sauce plates brings a fresh spirit to welcome the New Year. The round Echizen lacquerware tray lends a sleek and refined touch to the tablescape. This tray not only neatly arranges the small plates but also embodies a sense of unity and wholeness.

The small plates, with their auspicious designs, serve as a canvas for the vibrant and meaningful osechi dishes, adding to the festivity and spirit of the occasion. Like this Treasure Bag Kutani Sauce Plate, it is used to serve kuromame, sweet black beans. While the Japanese character of mame holds the meaning of "bean," the word itself means "diligence" and "hardworking", making this dish an auspicious menu for the New Year.   

Among the array of osechi dishes, ozoni occupies a cherished spot. Served in a traditional lacquerware bowl, this New Year's soup brims with grilled crispy mochi in a gentle dashi broth, symbolizing a stretch towards good fortune and a long life. The mochi's delightful stretchiness mirrors the elongation of prosperity and well-being. As a warm embrace of tradition, ozoni is a comforting reminder of the joys and hopes that the New Year brings.

2. Small Plates, Big Celebrations

These sauce dishes are perfect for plating, with their vivid colors and fine porcelain surfaces. Their versatility makes them standout performers equally at home on an everyday dining table as they are on special occasions. 

Ideal for those moments when you want to savor a variety of delicious bites in style, sauce plates can be helpful dining items for creating a table that's both elegant and inviting. 

3. New Chopsticks for a New Year

Japanese tradition warmly invites one to embrace new beginnings at the start of a new year and a beloved part of this is the custom of using new chopsticks. Rich with the essence of renewal and starting afresh, a new pair of chopsticks symbolizes welcoming the new year with open arms.

This beautiful pair of Wakasa lacquerware chopsticks is handpainted in a collage of nature-inspired colors and is adorned with a shiny finish, making it a joy to both see and use. 

This spring-colored pair of chopsticks beautifully blends the tender green of new leaves with the robust brown of sturdy trees amongst a mountainside bursting into bloom. This harmonious combination captures the essence of spring's awakening in every detail.

Sprinkle in a touch of extra good fortune with charming decorations like the Kutani ware lucky cat when setting the table for osechi ryori, inviting waves of happiness and abundance into your home.

This blend of casual elegance and tradition for our osechi ryori brings a refreshing wave of renewal and cheer. It's a heartwarming way to ring in the New Year, infused with hopeful anticipation and a bright promise of wonderful things ahead.

Featured Items

Sauce Plates

From authentic to kawaii, we have selected handmade Japanese sauce plates from all over Japan to enhance your dining experience. This category features plates with a diameter of under 5 inches (12cm). A sauce plate can be used not only as a soy sauce dish for sushi but also for serving appetizers alongside shokado bento or bamboo baskets.