Unlike last year, there were no formal social rounds of New Year's greetings due to directives calling for ‘restraint’ in wartime. So we had a cosy family gathering at Tamiko's over a feast of Japanese and Chinese symbolic dishes to welcome in the New Year.

‘Do you know what these little black beans mean?’ Tamiko asked the children. ‘The Japanese word for bean is mame, but if you say someone is mame it means they’re hard working. So we eat black beans to be diligent throughout the New Year.’ Whereas Sachi appeared to be not listening, Kazu nodded, as if taking in Tamiko's every word.

The Japanese cold dishes were followed by Chinese delicacies, starting with spring rolls – according to Tamiko, a must for New Year as a symbol of wealth, with chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and bamboo shoots, chopped all wrapped in a delicately fried parcel. Next came noodles for long life, made Shanghai style, with thick noodles, slivers of beef and shredded greens. The final dish was sea bream, steamed with a touch of ginger and scallions.

Masaya explained the meaning of the fish. ‘The beautiful fish before us, from head to tail, is whole, as this coming year should be, good from the beginning to the end. Tamiko-san, you have provided us with a meal with so many blessings. May they last throughout this year!’ He raised his little sake cup, turning to us all to do the same, and then heartily downed every drop.

The rest of the evening was spent playing fukuwarai, from Sayako's box of New Year's games. Kazu and Sachi were quick to grasp the idea of being blindfolded and placing paper pieces of eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth and ears onto a large empty face drawn on a board.

The merriment lasted long into the evening, as each of us took turns creating some ridiculous-looking faces, especially Hiro, whose pieces all ended up bunched in a corner. Rokki couldn't help teasing him saying, ‘How could an ace tennis player have such poor spatial sense!’

A happy beginning to a new year, which we all hope will bring an end to the war.