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Takashimaya Co. will start selling what could be the most expensive boxed meal ever. The upscale Japanese department store's New Year's meal set, known as 'osechi,' will carry the princely price tag of ¥18 million, or about $229,000.
It is certainly the most expensive ever sold by the historic department store, according to Megumi Ashizuka, a Takashimaya spokeswoman. Higher-end offerings of the traditional feast usually run a couple hundred dollars. The most expensive variation sold at Takashimaya last year was a ¥63,000 three-level set.
The bedazzling cost for this year's set, measuring 20 centimeters by 20 centimeters, was determined in step with Takashimaya's 180th anniversary. The commemorative theme is reinforced by the three-tier 18-carat gold box the decadent meal will be sold in. Takashimaya will start accepting orders in October and up to three sets will be available.
The value of the food─an assortment of dishes from several elite Japanese restaurants─will be a small fraction of the total cost. The bulk of the value lies in the 3.3-kilogram gold container, says Ms. Ashizuka. About 3,300 grams of spot gold would be worth roughly $168,684 these days. Spot gold traded at $1,589.90 a troy ounce Friday afternoon.
Takashimaya said the craftwork also factors into the price. The gold will be worked into a box form by Koichi Ishikawa, a famous Japanese goldsmith. Hoseki Okuyama, a Japanese sculptor designated a living national treasure, will design the surface, carving by hand vines of grape leaves and chunks of grapes into the gold.
Despite the cost, it's a tidy understated kind of splurge fitting for Japan, where wealth remains largely a private affair and ostentatious shows are not condoned.
'Osechi' is the cherished traditional Japanese meal eaten on Jan. 1. It is a colorful and well-balanced spread of meat, fish and root vegetables. While these meals were long a homemade endeavor Takashimaya said sales of premade osechi sets have increased in recent years as more families look to economize and save time.
參考譯文：
高島屋株式會社(Takashimaya Co.)即將銷售迄今為止最為昂貴的盒裝飯。這家日本高端百貨商店推出的一款“御節料理”（osechi，日本的傳統新年料理）將標出1,800萬日圓的天價，相當于229,000美元。
高島屋的女發言人蘆冢惠（Megumi Ashizuka，音譯）說，這肯定是這家歷史悠久的百貨商店有史以來價格最高的盒裝飯。通常標價兩三百美元的御節料理就已經是非常高檔的了。去年高島屋推出的最貴的御節料理是一款價格為63,000日圓的三層盒裝套餐。
今年這款天價料理的餐盒長寬都是20公分。之所以將價格定為這個數字，是為了迎接該公司即將到來的180周年的紀念日。盛裝這一高價料理的餐盒為三層18k金質餐盒，進一步強化了紀念的主題。高島屋一共將推出三套此款料理，10月份開始接受預訂。
蘆冢說，餐盒中的食物──由來自數家日本頂級飯店烹調的佳肴組成──只占總成本的很小一部分。價格高主要是因為重達3.3千克的金制容器。目前，3.3千克左右現貨黃金的價格大約是168,684美元。
高島屋稱，人工費用也是導致價格奇高的一個因素。金盒將由日本知名金匠石川浩一（Koichi Ishikawa，音譯）親手打制。被譽為日本國寶的雕刻家奧山峰石（Hoseki Okuyama）將負責設計餐盒的表面圖案，他將手工在金質盒子上雕刻出葡萄藤、葡萄葉子和大串葡萄的圖案。
雖然價格令人咋舌，但在財富仍屬于個人隱私問題、對炫富行為嗤之以鼻的日本社會，這是一種顯得很有檔次的、適宜日本國情的低調炫耀。
“御節料理”是很受日本人重視的傳統新年料理，在元旦這一天享用。這種料理顏色宜人，合理搭配了肉類、魚類和各種根莖蔬菜。高島屋稱，雖然長期以來日本人習慣于在家中自己準備御節料理，但如今越來越多的家庭都圖省錢省時間，所以銷售預制御節料理套餐的生意就火了起來。
