Trivia: Why do Japanese people eat soba on New Year's Eve?

Q.

Why do Japanese people eat soba on New Year's Eve?

A.

It is a long tradition to eat soba on New Year's Eve. It's called "toshikoshi soba" (年越しそば).

Soba (buckwheat noodle) is said to bring good luck because:

1. its long and thin noodles symbolize long life expectancy.

2. soba is soft and easily cut, which represents how one can cut off all bad lucks and negative energy from the year in order to start fresh in the coming year.

3. traditionally, Japanese craftsmen would use buckwheat to clean up gold and silver scattered on the floor.
   

How do you spend New Year's Eve?

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