Osechi packing made easy! Right here’s my beginner-friendly information on easy methods to pack Osechi Ryori in 3-tier bins referred to as jubako. With step-by-step pictures, a video tutorial, and useful suggestions, you’ll be capable to put together stunning osechi bins with confidence in your Japanese New Yr feast.

Fast Overview

Osechi ryori is the conventional Japanese New Yr feast served in two- or three-tiered lacquered bins referred to as jubako (重箱).

Every dish is organized with care as an providing to the Yr God. The stacked layers symbolize “piling up blessings” for happiness and success within the yr forward.

That can assist you take pleasure in this particular custom with ease at house, I’ll stroll you thru:

• conventional tips for packing osechi bins;
• easy methods to plan your osechi format;
• what meals go in every tier;
• my favourite props; and
• easy methods to prepare colours, shapes, and textures for the perfect visible influence.

Now, let’s start!

Guidelines for Packing Osechi

We comply with a number of conventional “guidelines,” however don’t fear—consider them as useful tips. Concentrate on the that means and good needs of this festive meal quite than perfection.

1. Place particular objects in every field tier
   • This three-tier format is conventional, although it varies by area and household. You may as well use one or two bins and even platters.
     • High tier: Small appetizers to take pleasure in with drinks
     • Center tier: Grilled and vinegared dishes
     • Backside tier: Simmered dishes

2. Season barely stronger
   • Salt and sugar are pure preservatives that sluggish bacterial development.
   • They assist the flavors steadiness because the dishes mellow over time.

3. Pack solely chilly or room temperature dishes
   • Lacquered jubako bins aren’t meant for decent meals.
   • Permit every dish to chill totally earlier than packing. Condensation can result in spoilage.
   • You possibly can put together many objects prematurely and refrigerate till able to pack.

4. Serve in odd numbers
   • Odd numbers are thought of fortunate in Japanese tradition.
   • Prepare meals in teams of 3, 5, 7, or 9 items.
   • You probably have a good variety of items, add a garnish—like a small leaf or citrus peel—for an auspicious presentation.

Useful Osechi Packing Ideas

My easy osechi packing suggestions may also help each freshmen and skilled cooks keep centered and arranged:

• Plan your format forward of time – Label bins with sticky notes. Planning prematurely makes packing go sooner!

• Coordinate coloration and form – Prepare meals with contrasting colours subsequent to one another, and steadiness the shapes and textures. Tip: Don’t place datemaki and kuri kinton aspect by aspect since they’re each yellow.
• Compartmentalize with small bowls to carry unfastened components like kuromame (candy black soybeans) and ikura (salmon roe).
• Add construction with inflexible meals – Place agency meals like kamaboko fish cake and candy rolled omelette subsequent to unfastened, delicate, and versatile meals.
• Cool fully earlier than packing – Let dishes cool totally earlier than packing to keep away from condensation, which might trigger spoilage.
• Drain liquids – You don’t wish to combine the flavour of two dishes, so be certain that to take away any cooking liquids earlier than packing. The meals will even preserve longer that approach.
• Test your colours – For instance, add festiveness, magnificence, and freshness with a contact of inexperienced.

My Favourite Osechi Props

To make osechi simpler and prettier, three objects come to my thoughts:

1. colourful mini bowls to carry unfastened meals or condiments
2. bamboo leaves or shiso leaves to put beneath meals or to compartmentalize
3. nanten leaves (nandina, heavenly bamboo, or sacred bamboo), inexperienced maple leaves, or pine needles for a pop of coloration

• You don’t want to make use of these precise objects. Merely search for props that present separation, add peak, and improve presentation.

Watch Video Tutorial on The best way to Pack Osechi Ryori

The best way to Pack Osechi Ryori in Jubako

The High Tier

The primary field (Ichinoju, 一の重) is the “face” of osechi with the colourful and delightful small dishes. We take pleasure in them with drinks like otoso and sake, much like appetizers or hors d’oeuvres. I exploit the ichimatsu (市松 checkerboard) design with 9 sq. compartments.

1. Begin with a middle dish that has a fairly coloration and form. Right here, I put salmon roe in an octagonal bowl. Another choice is good black beans or daikon and carrot salad in a yuzu cup.

2. To keep up the identical peak because the salmon roe, I lay two slices of fish cake (kamaboko) as a peak “booster.” Then, I add kamaboko on high in a checkerboard design. We use purple (pink) and white for completely satisfied events.

3. I add a slice of rolled egg omelette on its aspect as one other booster earlier than placing the omelette slices on high so that they’re the identical peak because the salmon roe and fish cake.

4. Likewise, I add simmered salmon kelp rolls with a booster beneath.

5. If you should buy bamboo leaves, use one to make a compartment or divider. It additionally provides a pop of recent inexperienced coloration, peeking out from the aspect of the field.

6. I add candied chestnut and candy potatoes on high of the leaf. Then, I place candied sardines (anchovies) within the subsequent compartment with the heads dealing with left for success (the standard rule).

7. I lay a small piece of fish cake as one other booster, then I place a yuzu cup with daikon and carrot salad on high. This introduces a brilliant coloration and distinctive form to make the osechi even prettier.

8. Pack candy black soybeans in a fairly container like this pentagon-shaped bowl for visible curiosity. I sprinkle gold flakes to make it extra festive. Pack the herring roe vertically within the final compartment.

9. For the ultimate contact, add leaves of heavenly bamboo (nandina, nanten) as a colourful garnish. Your high tier is now performed!

The Center Tier

The second field (Ninoju, 二の重) contains grilled dishes (principal dishes) and vinegared dishes. I used the suehiro (末広) design spreading out like an open fan from the middle to create 5 compartments.

1. Place a brightly coloured bowl within the heart. To create extra compartments, fold bamboo leaves in half lengthwise and minimize to suit. I add simmered shrimp within the heart; you can additionally use daikon and carrot salad in a yuzu cup.

2. First, add a cumbersome dish like yellowtail teriyaki into half of 1 compartment, then fill in with a small dish like butter shoyu scallops.

3. Pack a visually interesting and shorter dish towards the entrance, like pickled chrysanthemum turnip (radish).

4. Subsequent, select a taller dish like pickled lotus root to pack vertically within the again so it gained’t block the opposite dishes.

5. I add pounded burdock root to fill the final compartment neatly.

6. Lastly, add touches of inexperienced. Simply 1–2 nandina leaves make an enormous distinction!

The Backside Tier

Lastly, the third field (Sannoju, 三の重) accommodates a simmered dish.

1. Add simmered hen and greens, distributing brown components evenly within the field. Garnish with colourful objects like carrots and snow peas for a brilliant, recent end.

The best way to Serve Osechi Ryori

When everybody gathers on New Yr’s Day morning (it’s extra like brunch at my home), we benefit from the yr’s first and most necessary meal collectively.

Right here’s how we normally serve the feast:

1. Lay out every tier on the heart of the desk. Every little thing ought to already be at room temperature.
2. Get pleasure from mochi in Ozoni (Japanese New Yr rice cake soup) alongside the osechi dishes.
3. Add different dishes if you want, akin to grilled purple snapper, roast beef, and salad.
4. Drink otoso (お屠蘇), the standard New Yr’s spiced sake, to welcome good well being and good luck.
5. Use celebratory chopsticks referred to as iwaibashi (祝い箸), if accessible. They’re pointy on each ends and wrapped in purple and white envelopes with the character kotobuki (寿) for lengthy life, congratulations, and a cheerful event.

It’s a easy, cozy technique to take pleasure in this particular meal collectively and begin the brand new yr with heat hearts.

FAQs

I hope this packing information for osechi ryori was useful and inspirational. Good luck!

Editor’s Be aware: This submit was initially revealed on December 18, 2019, up to date on June 24, 2024, and republished on December 25, 2025, with extra useful info.