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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.
参考译文：
高岛屋株式会社(Takashimaya Co.)即将销售迄今为止最为昂贵的盒装饭。这家日本高端百货商店推出的一款“御节料理”（osechi，日本的传统新年料理）将标出1,800万日圆的天价，相当于229,000美元。
高岛屋的女发言人芦冢惠（Megumi Ashizuka，音译）说，这肯定是这家历史悠久的百货商店有史以来价格最高的盒装饭。通常标价两三百美元的御节料理就已经是非常高档的了。去年高岛屋推出的最贵的御节料理是一款价格为63,000日圆的三层盒装套餐。
今年这款天价料理的餐盒长宽都是20公分。之所以将价格定为这个数字，是为了迎接该公司即将到来的180周年的纪念日。盛装这一高价料理的餐盒为三层18k金质餐盒，进一步强化了纪念的主题。高岛屋一共将推出三套此款料理，10月份开始接受预订。
芦冢说，餐盒中的食物──由来自数家日本顶级饭店烹调的佳肴组成──只占总成本的很小一部分。价格高主要是因为重达3.3千克的金制容器。目前，3.3千克左右现货黄金的价格大约是168,684美元。
高岛屋称，人工费用也是导致价格奇高的一个因素。金盒将由日本知名金匠石川浩一（Koichi Ishikawa，音译）亲手打制。被誉为日本国宝的雕刻家奥山峰石（Hoseki Okuyama）将负责设计餐盒的表面图案，他将手工在金质盒子上雕刻出葡萄藤、葡萄叶子和大串葡萄的图案。
虽然价格令人咋舌，但在财富仍属于个人隐私问题、对炫富行为嗤之以鼻的日本社会，这是一种显得很有档次的、适宜日本国情的低调炫耀。
“御节料理”是很受日本人重视的传统新年料理，在元旦这一天享用。这种料理颜色宜人，合理搭配了肉类、鱼类和各种根茎蔬菜。高岛屋称，虽然长期以来日本人习惯于在家中自己准备御节料理，但如今越来越多的家庭都图省钱省时间，所以销售预制御节料理套餐的生意就火了起来。
