This was submitted by Ariel Okamoto for Discover Nikkei’s Nima-kai 2020-2021 Oshogatsu Traditions photo activity.

*****

In non-pandemic times, our extended family gathers each New Year’s Day for an extravagant potluck, white elephant gift exchange, and day-long hang-out. These tables display a representative smorgasbord from 2020 — you’ll see the traditional vegetables alongside tempura, sashimi, katsu and ginger fried chicken, somen salad, spam musubi , and other traditional and not-so-traditional foods. Not pictured are the various bottles of sake that the Yonsei generation has now grown into sampling with our Nisei great-uncle. For me, it tops Thanksgiving as a favorite food holiday!