Japan Dept. Stores Adapt “Osechi” New Year’s Dishes to Youth Trends

Tokyo, Sept. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japanese department stores have started offering “osechi” traditional New Year’s dishes for 2027, pushing products that reflect current trends in an effort to attract young consumers. Department stores are rolling out products incorporating trends such as “Oshikatsu,” or activities for enthusiastic support of “oshi,” or favorite characters and celebrities, and so-called “guilty consumption,” or the deliberate choice to enjoy indulgent foods without regard for calories. Sogo & Seibu Co. sells an osechi product themed on the Super Sentai series, a long-running Japanese superhero television franchise for children, at 26,460 yen. The set includes “nerikiri” traditional Japanese confectionery inspired by heroes from five different works, the first of which dates back to the 1970s, in hopes that three generations of a family can enjoy their favorite characters together. Additionally, the company has kept the price of its popular four-tier osechi box unchanged from last year at 23,220 yen, as consumers have become more budget-conscious amid rising inflation. “There’s a growing polarization between consumers who prioritize price and volume and those who seek a New Year’s sense of being special and trendiness,” a Sogo & Seibu official said. Tobu Department Store Co. offers a single-tier set called “Guilty Hors d’oeuvre” at 36,720 yen, which consists mostly of meat dishes and serves about six people. With more than 7,500 calories, the set is designed to provide a huge volume that would satisfy even the appetites of young men. Takashimaya Co. has created an osechi box using ingredients produced in Kumamoto Prefecture to support the southwestern Japan prefecture, which was hit by a major earthquake in late July. Among the company’s other offerings are products for which part of the proceeds will be donated to Hokuriku, a central Japan region struck by a major earthquake in January 2024 and by torrential rains last month. Matsuya Co. has expanded its lineup of frozen osechi dishes that can be delivered nationwide as gifts, anticipating that many people will not return home for the year-end and New Year’s holidays due to rising prices. Fuji Keizai Co., a Japanese research firm, estimates that sales of osechi boxes for 2027 will rise 1 pct from a year earlier to 86.7 billion yen for a third consecutive year of growth. “Expecting strong demand for high-end foods during the year-end and New Year’s holidays, we aim to achieve (osechi box) sales that surpass last year’s,” an official at Takashimaya’s Osaka store said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]