ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS IN FOOD ON NEW YEAR’S DAY IN DIARIES AND ESSAY OF THE HEIAN PERIOD

Abstract

This research article aims to study attitudes and beliefs about New Year festival food for the noblemen during the Heian period by collecting data and analyzing attitudes and beliefs about food in New Year festival, which appeared in Heian period’s diaries and essays. The study found that there are only 3 works of Diaries and Essays that represent the aristocratic cuisine on New Year’s Day. There were TOSA NIKKI, MURASAKISHIKIBU NIKKI and MAKURA NO SOUSHI. It also found that noblemen during the Heian period lived on a tradition that was set by attitudes and beliefs. On New Year’s Day, the noblemen had set a particular menu on which date to eat and with a specific purpose to eat them. However, even though they set exactly which food they should have but in case they could not find one, they could adapt something similar to make it up.