🍱 Otoshi no Gottso

"Otoshi no Gottso" is eaten throughout Gifu Prefecture from New Year's Eve on December 31st to the third day of the New Year. It has been handed down under various other names depending on the region, such as "Toshikoshi Ryori," "Toshikoshi-ni," and "Otoshikoshi." A large pot of Otoshi no Gottso is made at a time and reheated before eating to give the kitchen appliances and utensils a rest on New Year's Day, so the family can relax together. Root vegetables such as daikon radish and carrot are usually simmered in dashi broth, but the types of simmered vegetables, the way they are cut, and the dashi broth itself vary depending on the region and household. However, "ito-konbu" (shredded kelp) is always included regardless of the region because it symbolizes the hope to "live a long and thin life." In the past, before New Year's cuisine as we know it today, this dish was considered a delicacy and is said to have been eaten as an offering to the gods and Buddha to express gratitude for a healthy past year and to wish for a prosperous new year.