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Osechi ryōri is the elaborate multi-box feast prepared for Oshōgatsu (New Year), traditionally eaten across the first three days of January when cooking fires are rested and the household observes the beginning of the new year. The preparation is one of Japanese food culture's most complex domestic cooking projects: dozens of individual preparations, each with its own symbolism, technique, flavour profile, and required ingredient, assembled into jūbako (tiered lacquered boxes) in a specific arrangement system. The first tier (ichidanme) holds the most auspicious items: kazunoko (herring roe—many eggs symbolising fertility and children), kuromame (black soybeans simmered in sweetened soy—'mame' also means health and diligence), and tazukuri (sweetened sardines simmered in soy and mirin—dried sardines historically used as rice field fertiliser, symbolising agricultural abundance). The second tier holds vinegared and grilled preparations: namasu (daikon and carrot in rice vinegar, in red and white—New Year's auspicious colours), datemaki (sweet rolled omelette with fish paste—scroll-shaped, symbolising learning), and kamaboko fish cake (red and white layered). Third and fourth tiers hold simmered dishes: nimono of root vegetables (each with symbolism: lotus root's holes represent clear foresight, gobo burdock's deep roots represent stability, taro's many offspring represent family). The entire system encodes wishes for the new year in ingredient symbolism—an edible poetry of aspiration.

Shiruko and zenzai are closely related preparations built on sweetened adzuki beans served hot, each anchoring one of Japan's most enduring comfort food traditions. The terminology is region-specific and frequently misused: in the Kanto (Tokyo) region, shiruko refers to the smooth, fully puréed version (smooth adzuki soup) while zenzai refers to the chunky version with whole beans and visible texture. In Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto), the regional usage inverts: koshi-shiruko is the smooth version, tsubu-shiruko is the chunky, and 'zenzai' in Kansai specifically means the thick chunky bean paste served with only a small amount of liquid—nearly the texture of anko spread in a bowl. Both preparations are served with either grilled mochi (焼き餅, placed directly in the bowl) or shiratama dango (soft glutinous rice balls, cooked separately and added at serving). The mochi element provides the textural contrast and the ritual significance: the New Year grilled kagami mochi pieces are traditionally added to shiruko in a custom called kagami biraki (mirror opening), where the dried round mochi is broken (never cut—cutting implies severance) on the 11th of January and the pieces simmered or grilled into the sweet bean soup. Beyond seasonal ritual, shiruko and zenzai are year-round fixtures at wagashi cafes, traditional kissaten coffee shops, and at temple fair stalls, representing the deep integration of adzuki sweetness into Japanese daily comfort food culture.