Evolve to Survive: AKB48 to Produce Japanese Traditional New Year Foods “Osechi”

| 48 / 46 Group | Posted by TokyoGirls'Update on Sep.23.2014

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In September 21, “AKB48 Collaboration Osechi” presentation was taken place in collaboration with a Japanese department Daimaru Matsuzakaya, and AKB48 Mayu Watanabe, Yuki Kashiwagi, Mion Mukaichi, Nana Oowada, and a Japanese cooking exert Asako Yoshida appeared to present Osechi.
大丸・松坂屋『AKB48コラボおせち』発表会が21日に都内で行われ、AKB48の渡辺麻友、柏木由紀、加藤玲奈、向井地美音、大和田南那と、日本料理研究家の吉田麻子さん（吉は土に口）が登壇した。

Image of Traditional Osechi

Osechi is Japanese traditional New Year foods, and they are in the special box called Jubako. Most of them have symbolic meaning related with health and happiness in the upcoming year, and the tastes differ depending on the area the home. However, recently it’s becoming a serious problem that especially young people are disinterested in Osechi, and Japanese traditional food in general, because they tend to prefer Western food more.
おせち料理とは日本人が正月に食べるお祝いの料理で、重箱という特別な箱に入れられる。新年の健康や幸せを願う縁起のいい食べ物が添えられており、地方や家庭ごとにお重の中身は様々である。しかし近年、日本人の洋食好みが高まり、特に若者の和食離れは深刻になっているという問題も生まれている。

Therefore, to stimulate young people’s interest in Osechi, this project has launched supported by Daimaru Matuzakaya, a Japanese long-established department. AKB48 members learned Osechi’s history, the art of cooking and seasoning from the teacher Yoshida, and finally they completed 2 patterns of Osechi boxes “AKB48 Akeome Osechi” and “AKB48 Kotoyoro Osechi”. (Akeome is abbreviation of Akemashite Omedetou, means Happy New Year, and Kotoyoro is Kotoshimo Yoroshiku, means We look forward to working with you this year.)
本プロジェクトは、大丸・松坂屋が行う“若者の和食（おせち）離れ”を食い止めるための取り組みで、選抜されたAKB48メンバーが、日本料理研究家の吉田さんからおせちの由来や調理法、味付けに至るまでしっかり勉強して『AKB48あけおめおせち』と『AKB48ことよろおせち』を完成させた。

At the presentation, the members introduced the foods they were in charge of. Mayu Watanabe produced “Backed chicken with Hacho-style Miso” and “Elingi mushroom, Imitation crab, and burdock with mayonnaise”. She commented “I love with Hacho-Miso which the teacher prepared, and also I love meat too, so decided to mix it. This has a strong flavor because I prefer it. About the one with Elingi mushroom, firstly the teacher showed a dish with Elingi and burdock, and I suggested her to add imitation crab, and it went really well. Using mayonnaise might be uncommon for Osechi, but I think it is the important point to make young people enjoy it.”
発表会ではそれぞれが開発に関わった料理について紹介。“鶏の八丁味噌焼き”と“エリンギとカニカマと牛蒡のマヨネーズ和え”を担当した渡辺は、「肉料理が大好きで、先生に用意していただいた中で八丁味噌がとても美味しくて即決しました。味が濃いものが好きなので、私好みの味になっています」。「キノコも大好きで、先生が提案してくださったものに、「カニカマを入れたらさらに良くなるのでは」と提案させていただきました。おせち料理には珍しいマヨネーズの味付けがポイントで、若い方にも美味しく味わっていただけるような味付けになっています」。

Yuki Kashiwag produced four dishes: “Simmered shrimps”, “Miso marinated herring roe”, “Shrimps simmered with white wine”, and “Smoked salmon and olive roll”. She commented “Shrimps, herring roe, and smoked salmon…I love them all. I have two dishes with shrimps, so tried to make them different. Discussed with the teacher, the one with white wine became rather Western taste, and fit for adults, as I am the oldest member here. I hope young-adult people enjoy Osechi as well.”
“海老艶煮”と“数の子味噌漬”と“海老の白ワイン煮”と“スモークサーモンオリーブ巻き”を担当した柏木は「海老も数の子もサーモンも全部好きな食材で、海老は二品あるので、特に海老の白ワイン煮は大人で洋風な味付けにしたいと先生と相談しました。この中で私が最年長だったので、大人の方にも楽しんでいただけるようなものにしました」。

Nana Oowada produced original dish with Namasu. Originally Namasu is carrot and radish with seasoned in vinegar, however she added Mango in it. She commented, “I mixed Mango, my favorite food! Everyone was surprised with this weird idea at first, but I thought it works when I eat the trial dish that the teacher cooked. The combination of Vineger’s sourness and Mango’s sweetness tastes funny, but it is very delicious! I believe it’s excellent.”
“マンゴーなます”を担当した大和田は「私はマンゴーが好きなので、「なますにマンゴーを入れたいです！」って提案したらすごいビックリされたんですけど、考えてくださった試作品を食べたらすごく美味しかったです。ドライマンゴーと酸っぱめのなますで不思議な味がして美味しかったので、いいものができたんじゃないかなと思います」と、それぞれ紹介した。

The event ended with Mayu Watanabe’s words. Wishing their Osechi will help to attract young people with Osechi, she said “Japanese people tend not to eat Osechi during New Years’ Day recently. So, please enjoy “Akeome Osechi” and “Kotoyoro Osechi” we produced for the next New Years’ Day, and remember Japanese traditional culture.”
そして渡辺は、「最近は日本人の和食離れが深刻になっていて、皆さんお正月におせち料理を食べないという方がとても増えています。なので、来年お正月は私たちが一生懸命考えました『あけおめおせち』と『ことよろおせち』を家族みんなで食べて、日本の伝統と文化を忘れないようにしましょう」と訴えかけた。

With this project as a opportunity, we hope especially young people to be attracted to Osechi and see it in a new light. Traditional Japanese food became important intangible cultural property last year, so it is important to preserve the tradition with evolution and development.今回のプロジェクトをきっかけに、若者のおせちへの関心が高まって、その魅力を再認識し、無形文化遺産に登録された和食の文化が更なる進化と発展をみせることを願ってやまない。

Photo / Text by Naoto Kazama

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