My sources for the Oshogatsu essay

http://www.tokyotopia.com/oshogatsu.html

http://mothra.rerf.or.jp/ENG/Hiroshima/Festivals/27.html

http://www.bento.com/fexp-osechi.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_New_Year

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2064.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-shogatsu.htm

http://www.us-japan.org/edomatsu/shogatsu/shogatsu.html

http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyoculture/351/tokyocultureinc.htm

http://www.city.sendai.jp/soumu/kouhou/emailnews/36.html