This was submitted by Taylor Setsumi Ingman for Discover Nikkei’s Nima-kai 2020-2021 Oshogatsu Traditions photo activity.

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My grandma has always made nimono vegetables for Oshougatsu—last year, I asked her to show me how to make them. She showed me how she folds the konnyaku , and how she always uses both the positive and negative space of the flower-shaped carrot slices. Using my grandma’s recipe and techniques, my mom and I made the nimono this year, and my grandma was impressed by how it turned out! Pictured are carrots, konnyaku , and takenoko , but we made shiitake , renkon , and satoimo as well. Learning about my family’s traditions and keeping them alive is extremely important to me. I’m so thankful for everything I have learned from my grandparents, and making traditional osechi for Oshougatsu is a tradition I hope to carry on.