Enjoy Japan at its Holiday Best this New Year Season!

From December to January, New Year in Japan means lots of gourmet food, hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the New Year) and other unique customs, and of course the sales! Come and experience Japan this season.

First, let's take a look at gourmet food options!

On New Year's Eve in Japan, people eat "toshikoshi soba" ("Crossing-the-Year buckwheat noodles"). This custom is believed to have originated long ago, when goldsmiths were said to have used buckwheat flour to gather up scattered gold leaf. Because of this, soba is thought to bring good luck with money.

Although toshikoshi soba is normally eaten at home, we also recommend the following historic restaurants where you can eat toshikoshi soba.

Kanda Yabusoba

http://www.yabusoba.net/ (English)

This long-established soba restaurant in the Kanda neighborhood of Tokyo has a 135-year history. Here, you can try authentic soba in an atmosphere full of Japanese sensibility.

...... for more inforamtion

http://tabilover.jcb.jp/eng/staff/shop_info/cat10/new-year-season.html