Osechi for New Year 2027: What the Boxes Cost in Japan and When to Order

In Japan, many people celebrate New Year with osechi, a set of small dishes packed in stacked boxes. Today most people order the box rather than cook it. Orders for New Year 2027 are open now, and some of the most useful deadlines arrive sooner than you might expect.

This guide is for readers in Canada who are spending the holidays in Japan or want to send a box to family there. It is based mainly on a Japan Life Lab guide, which says it checked each seller's official pages and press releases on 28 October 2026. DOJI did not order or taste any of these boxes.

What osechi is, and what the dishes mean

Japan Life Lab says each dish stands for a wish, such as good health, a good harvest or many children. Stacking the boxes, called jūbako, is meant to pile up good fortune. Most families eat osechi during sanganichi, the first three days of the year.

Here are some dishes and their meanings, as the guide explains them:

• Kuromame (sweet black soybeans): hard work and good health
• Kazunoko (herring roe): many children and descendants
• Kuri-kinton (sweet potato and chestnut mash): wealth, because of its golden colour
• Kōhaku kamaboko (red-and-white fish cake): red for joy, white for purity
• Kobu-maki (kelp rolls): the word kobu sounds like yorokobu, or joy

The Food in Japan osechi page points out that what goes in the box varies by region, household and seller.

What a box costs for 2027

According to Japan Life Lab, a box for one person costs about ¥6,900 to ¥7,400 at 7-Eleven, Lawson, AEON or Takashimaya. Prices include tax.

The guide also points out that a "Japanese-style" name does not mean the box has no pork. Both the 7-Eleven and Lawson boxes above include pork dishes. It also found no halal-certified osechi from major retailers. If you have dietary needs, read the menu and ingredient label, or ask the seller.

Deadlines to put in your calendar

The early-bird discounts end first. Japan Life Lab lists these:

• AEON: 5% off until 27 November
• 7-Eleven: 10% off in the 7NOW app until 30 November
• FamilyMart: 10% off 15 items until 30 November, 9:00

Home delivery closes next. Konbini (convenience store) home delivery ends on 10 December at Lawson and 12 December at 7-Eleven. Store pickup stays open much longer. 7-Eleven takes pickup orders until 28 December, and Lawson's in-store orders close on 25 December.

Cancellation rules differ a lot. The guide says Takashimaya and Daimaru Matsuzakaya online orders cannot be cancelled once placed. AEON Shop allows cancellation until four days before an item's deadline.

It also explains chilled versus frozen. Chilled boxes need no thawing but should be eaten by about 2 January. Frozen boxes arrive earlier and need about 24 hours to thaw in the fridge.

Visiting over New Year? Options if you can't reserve

In our view, ordering a full box usually makes most sense for people living in Japan. One traveller guide, Self Guide Japan, advises against having osechi delivered to a hotel. It notes that boxes are bulky and there is often nowhere to thaw them. The same guide warns that if you arrive late in December, the pre-order route is already closed.

There is a simpler option. According to Food in Japan, department-store food halls and large supermarkets sell single packs of kuromame, datemaki, kamaboko and other dishes in late December, with no reservation needed. It adds that choice can shrink as 31 December gets closer.

The 7-Eleven box is also worth knowing about if you land after New Year's Day. Japan Life Lab says you can pick it up as late as 3 January, which is unusual. Store pickup lets you pay at the counter, and it doesn't require a delivery address.

Finding osechi in Canada

We couldn't confirm which Canadian shops are selling osechi for 2027. Past listings suggest local Japanese food businesses do offer it, usually as a pre-order. For example, a Toronto shop, Happeace, listed a 2024 osechi with a 24 December order deadline and pickup on 31 December. It also offered discounts for ordering in October or November.

Another Toronto business, Affinity Fish, has listed an osechi bento for pickup or delivery on 31 December. Its listing does not show a year and appears as sold out, so check it directly. Our takeaway is that, as in Japan, the order deadlines in Canada tend to fall well before New Year's Eve.

If you know a shop near you that takes osechi orders, sharing it helps others plan. You can post tips or ask questions in the DOJI community.

Before you order

Prices, menus and deadlines can change, and Japan Life Lab says boxes are sold in limited quantities. Popular boxes can sell out before the deadline. Always check the seller's official page before you pay.

Are you celebrating oshōgatsu in Canada this year? Join DOJI to connect with Japanese speakers across the country and swap New Year food tips.