日本に来て初めての[お正月](https://eikaiwa.dmm.com/uknow/questions/54655/)に妻の実家で見たおせち料理には感動しましたよ。小さくて色んな種類のものが詰まっているランチボックス。
アメリカにいる家族に写真を撮って送ったんですけど説明をつけました。
それがこんな感じでした。
This is a traditional Japanese New Year’s dish called Osechi-ryori. It’s an assortment
of small dishes. Each dish has meaning, and is part of celebrating the New Year and helps usher in good health and prosperity for the family for the year.
「これは日本の伝統的な[新年](https://eikaiwa.dmm.com/uknow/questions/108026/)の料理でおせち料理と言います。小さい料理の詰め合わせで、各料理に新年を祝ったり、その年の家族の健康や繁栄を願う意味が込められています。」
関連した英語表現については、こちらのブログ記事をご覧ください：
[「おせち料理」は英語で？具材に込められている意味を説明しよう](https://eikaiwa.dmm.com/blog/learning-english/expressions/osechi/)
Osechi or Osechi-ryori is unique to Japan and Japanese culture. Therefore, one wouldn't expect to find the English equivalent. A simple description as the aforementioned one will suffice. Since this dish is connected with the New Year's celebration in Japan one might say: Osechi is a Japanese traditional New Year's dish. Once, the meaning is understood, then the word "Osechi" can be used as a proper noun.
おせちやおせち料理はユニークな日本文化です。そのため、英語に「おせち料理」を表す単語は無いと思います。短く説明してあげるので十分でしょう。この料理は日本の新年のお祝いに関係があるものなので、こういう風に言えると思います。
"Osechi is a Japanese traditional New Year's dish."
(おせちは日本の伝統的な新年の料理です。)
一度意味を理解してもらってから、"Osechi"という単語を使うと良いでしょう。
You can explain it by saying it is a "traditional dish served on New Years."
You can also say it has a similar look to a "bento box." This explains to people that it has small compartments.
a traditional dish served on New Years と説明でいますね。
また、Bento boxのようなものと説明しても良いでしょう。何種類もの小さな料理からなる一つの料理のことだとわかってもらえるでしょう。
The literal translation is New Year's Cuisine, but Osechi Ryori is actually a special New Year's dish prepared by the Japanese that is special only to New Year's. It consists of many layers of food packed in boxes. It is supposed to be consumed by the entire family during New Year's Day. Osechi Ryori is supposed to bring good luck and health, similar to the American version of eating black-eyed peas and collard greens for good luck and wealth. It is also VERY EXPENSIVE! I've heard that it's actually becoming less and less popular in Japan now.
Japanese traditional dishes prepared especially for New Years celebrations.
traditional Japanese celebratory food packed in colorful lacquer boxes.
Japanese traditional dishes prepared especially for New Years celebrations.
and
traditional Japanese celebratory food packed in colorful lacquer boxes.
These are appropriate ways pf describing Osechi to a non-Japanese speaker.You may also continue by describing what is contained in the dishes in more detail.
Japanese traditional dishes prepared especially for New Years celebrations.
（新年のお祝いの為に特別に準備される日本の伝統料理）または
traditional Japanese celebratory food packed in colorful lacquer boxes.
（色とりどりの箱に入った日本の伝統的な祝い料理）
これらが外国人の方におせちを説明する際の適切な表現です。おせちにはどのような料理が含まれるのかを続けて説明しても良いですね。
If you would like to know how you can explain "osechi" to someone in English, you can also call it "osechi" or a "Japanese traditional New Years dish.". You can use it in a sentence by saying something like "Me and my family ate OSECHI at a Japanese restaurant last night".
Osechi is a Japanese traditional dish which is commonly eaten during the New Years holiday's in Japan. Here is an example of a dialogue: Do you enjoy Osechi? Yeah I eat it with my family every New Year's, it is so delicious!
Osechi is a traditional Japanese dish served on New Years.
Osechi is a traditional New Years dish served in Japan.
Osechi is a Japanese dish traditionally served on New Years.
Notice that within all three of these sentences that we can use the exact same words for each sentences, but we can move around different adjectives or ideas like, "New Years," "Japanese/Japan," and, "traditional/traditionally," and still maintain the same meaning.
Osechi is a traditional Japanese dish, served during new year
Traditional Japanese dish for new year
Osechi dish
Osechi is a dish that is unique to Japan, and served during the festive period, at the end of the year
They are similar to bento boxes, because they contain an assortment of foods such as fish, beans and seaweed.
The term osechi originally referred to o-sechi, a season or significant period. New Year's Day was one of the five seasonal festivals in the Imperial Court in Kyoto. This custom of celebrating particular days was introduced from China into Japan.
What is that? I have never seen it before.
Oh, this? It is osechi.
What is it?
Well, it is a traditional Japanese food, we usually have it for New Year's
Oh, can I have some.
I hope this helps.
Have a great day.
Will
アメリカ合衆国 
日本 
南アフリカ 
イギリス 
ニュージーランド 
