Shiwasu is the Japanese word for the period at the end of a calendar year. This time comes with many traditions, including a thorough spring cleaning, family gatherings, serious drinking, and ensuring that there are no loose ends hanging upon the arrival of the New Year. On omisoka (New Year’s Eve), Japanese tend to spend the night at home, listening to the temples ringing their bells 108 times to dispel the 108 evils, and preparing for the sanganichi (3 day New Year holiday period). On this night, a long-held and widely established tradition is to eat toshikoshi soba.

History

Toshikoshi means to jump from something old to something new. The soba are buckwheat noodles, traditionally slurped up while sitting on a tatami mat at home. The tradition has been around since the Kamakura or Muromachi periods, in the 13th and 14th centuries, when the temples or wealthy rulers would bless the country’s hungry masses with soba noodles. The tradition became more widely established during the Edo period, and still then was more popular in the Northern Kanto region. Regions further to the South used other noodles such as udon or ramen for a time, but the practice of eating soba noodles has now become common across all of Japan.

Meaning

The buckwheat grain holds a triangular shape, translating to Mikado in Japanese. Since the Japanese title for an emperor is also Mikado, this grain is thought to embody the power and strength of the emperors.

Buckwheat plants are known to bounce back, even after being tossed around and crushed by natural forces such as wind, rain, or even typhoons. Because of this, eating soba also signifies resilience.

The length and width of the noodles also signify the Japanese desire for a long and thin life. This Confucian-based thought, simply put, is that the best lives are those that are long, peaceful, and free from chaos, drama, or plight.

In addition, since soba noodles can be easily bitten off, eating them signifies cleanly chopping off the old year and all its accompanying troubles.

Historically, fine soba flour was used by goldsmiths and gilders to gather up leftover gold dust. Thus, soba is also associated with gold, and consequently with good fortune.

Alternate soba associations

When welcoming someone new to the neighborhood, a common gift is soba – in this instance, it is called hikkoshi soba – translating to moving in soba.

Some businesses repeat the soba-eating tradition during Setsubun or, the bean-throwing festival. This occurs in early February, and is done to ensure the upcoming business year will be greeted with success.

Eating toshikoshi soba is a tradition that allows one to rest up before the flurry of Japanese New Year Traditions begins. Visit Japan during New Years to experience this tradition first-hand. Or, try it at home! Soba can be enjoyed hot or cold, with plenty of toppings or none, in a soup, or with a simple dipping sauce. Click here for a simple Toshikoshi Soba recipe!