What Does the Japanese New Year Taste Like? (The “Ozoni” Divide)

Last updated: March 20, 2026

The New Year Soup
In the US, people celebrate the New Year with champagne. In Japan, the ultimate New Year’s dish is a warm, comforting bowl of soup called “Ozoni.” Eating this soup on January 1st is a nationwide tradition to pray for a healthy and safe year.

A Taste of Home
Even beyond Tokyo and Osaka, every prefecture—and every family—has its own unique Ozoni recipe, using local seafood or vegetables. If a Japanese person gets married, deciding “which Ozoni to make on New Year’s Day” is their first major cultural compromise!

Wild and Profitable New Year Traditions (Related Articles)

Eating a warm bowl of Ozoni is just the beginning of the Japanese New Year. It is a holiday filled with wild traditions, from holy monsters to cold, hard cash!

1. The Biting Monster
If you visit Japan during New Year’s, you might see a terrifying creature with a red wooden face called “Shishimai” (Lion Dance). This holy lion will approach the crowd and literally chomp down on people’s heads with its wooden jaws! Japanese parents actually want the monster to bite their kids because it guarantees they will grow up healthy and smart.
👉 Why do they want to get bitten?
Check out: “Why Do Japanese Parents Want a Monster to Bite Their Kids? (The ‘Shishimai’ Dance)”

Why Do Japanese Parents Want a Monster to Bite Their Kids? (The “Shishimai” Dance)

2. Getting Rich on New Year’s
While adults are eating Ozoni, Japanese kids are getting rich because they receive cold, hard cash on New Year’s Day instead of toys. In a tradition called “Otoshidama,” relatives give money to children in tiny, cute envelopes called “Pochi-bukuro”.
👉 What are the strict rules for the cash?
Check out: “Why Do Japanese Kids Get Rich in January? (The ‘Otoshidama’ Rules)”

Why Do Japanese Kids Get Rich in January? (The “Otoshidama” Rules)

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