Nengajo – Postcards for the New Year in Japan

In Japan, New Year’s postcards begin to be sold every year from mid-November, a tradition that, although it is being left behind, still persists.

These postcards usually come with the phrase “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu” (明けましておめでとう(ございます) which means “Happy New Year!” This phrase is only said once the year has started. If someone sent you a Nengajo it will arrive to your mailbox on the morning of January 1st.

Another of the phrases that are usually already written on the postcard is “Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu”(今年も宜しくお願いします！) which means something like “Thank you in advance for all your support for next year” Young people usually abbreviate these two sentences like this “akeome! kotoyoro!”「あけおめ！ことよろ！」

Depending on the postcard, sometimes there is little space left for you to write some more personal lines, so you can also buy blank postcards and decorate it in your own way and style.

Each postcard has a lottery number, the “tousen bangou” (当選番号) and if you win, you get a prize. Winning lottery numbers are announced in newspapers or on the Internet in mid-January.

Every year, the image of the Japanese zodiac animal of the coming year is printed, and you can find them in different styles.

As a cultural note: When someone dies in a family, a “mochuu hagaki” (喪中葉書 ) is sent, which are postcards announcing the loss of a loved one and for reasons of mourning they will not send a New Year Postcard that year.

And how is it in your country? Do you usually send New Year postcards too? Tell us in the comments ^^