In Japan, there is one food that is always eaten on “大晦日” New Year's Eve, the last day of the year.
It is soba! It is called “年越しそば” "New Year's Eve soba," and many people eat it for dinner a few hours before the new year dawns.
Why do people eat soba? There are four main reasons!
1 To live a long life.
Like soba, it is eaten in the hope that one will live a long and thin life.
2 To cut off this year's bad luck and to welcome the next year with good luck.
Since soba is easily cut, it is said to cut off this year's hardships and bad luck, and to welcome the new year with a clean slate.
3 Pray for good luck in money.
It is said that gold and silversmiths in the old days used buckwheat flour to collect gold and silver scattered by their work. Therefore, it was believed that collecting gold with buckwheat noodles would bring good luck in gold.
4 May you be in good health next year.
Even though Soba is exposed to wind and rain, it gets well again when it is exposed to sunlight. Therefore, it is a wish that the buckwheat noodle will come back to life again and again like the buckwheat noodle.
This tradition has been handed down since long ago in order to make the New Year a good one.
Spend New Year's Eve eating New Year's soba with your family or loved ones while listening to the New Year's bell. Bells are rung 108 times at temples around midnight on New Year's Eve. The number 108 is said to correspond with that of “煩悩”, earthly desires. Buddhist monks ring bells 108 times to expel earthly desires. This is the perfect way to spend New Year's Eve in Japan. Now, at iimono, we have a selection of items to help you enjoy soba.
This is a handmade Bamboo tray for soba noodles. Just put the soba on this tray and serve it as if you were eating at a restaurant!
This is a container for Sobayu, “Sobayu'' is the hot water in which Soba noodles have boiled. Real soba lovers are not only particular about soba but also about Sobayu. Soba is made from buckwheat and boiled before serving. During the boiling process, nutrients such as vitamin B, potassium, dietary fibers, and good quality starch dissolve into the water. So, drinking Sobayu offers lots of nutrition.
Don’t hesitate to try to adopt the culture of Japan!