Choking on mochi is so common that authorities offer tips every year on how to help someone who has the food lodged in their throat.
I grew up in a big, busy city called Mito, north of Tokyo. The week before New Year’s, my mother would prepare osechi ryori, assorted cold dishes for sharing with relatives and friends dropping ...
For many non-Japanese, especially newcomers to Japan, many of the customs and traditions of New Year may seem hard to understand. New Year or oshogatsu is the most important holiday period in Japan ...