The four parts of a new year card
The message side is built from four elements:
- Greeting: a phrase celebrating the new year, such as "Kinga Shinnen" or "Happy New Year"
- Body: thanks for the past year and a request for continued goodwill
- Personal line: a handwritten note; even one sentence of news or care transforms the impression
- Date: "Reiwa [year] Gantan" (New Year's morning), or "January 1"
Rules unique to new year cards
- No punctuation is the formal style, expressing "no full stop on happiness" and "no break in the flow." Use line breaks and spacing for readability
- Avoid taboo words: do not use "kyonen" (which contains "leave/depart") for last year; write "sakunen" or "kyunen" instead. Also avoid "lose," "wither," "fall" and "fall ill"
- "Gantan" already means New Year's morning: "January 1 Gantan" is redundant. Use just "Gantan," or "January 1"
Choosing the greeting: one or two characters are too casual for superiors
Greetings differ in politeness by length. One- or two-character greetings are abbreviated, so for superiors use a four-character greeting or a full sentence.
| Greeting | Who it suits |
|---|---|
| Kotobuki, Fuku, Gasho, Geishun, Shinshun | Friends and juniorsabbreviated, so not for superiors |
| Kinga Shinnen, Kyoga Shinnen, Kinga Shinshun | Fine for bosses, clients and superiorsa polite greeting including "respectfully" |
| "Happy New Year" / "Respectfully wishing you joy in the new year" | Anyonesafe if unsure |
"New Year, Happy New Year" is considered redundant ("new year" twice) and is best avoided.
Sample messages by recipient
To a boss
Kinga Shinnen
Thank you for your exceptional guidance, in work and beyond, over the past year
I look forward to your continued guidance and encouragement this year
Wishing you and your family health and happiness - Reiwa [year], Gantan
To a client / business
Respectfully wishing you joy in the new year
Thank you for your valued patronage over the past year
We look forward to your continued support this year
Wishing your company ever-greater success - Reiwa [year], Gantan
To relatives
Happy New Year
Thank you for everything last year
Our family welcomed the new year in good health, thanks to you
I hope we can meet this year - with best wishes for the year ahead
To a friend
Happy New Year!
Thanks for all the good times last year
Let's get everyone together again - here's to staying close
May you have a wonderful year
Keep the personal line different from the printed text. Even one handwritten sentence, picturing the person, carries real warmth.
Addressing the envelope (front)
- Vertical writing is formal: write the full address without abbreviating the prefecture. Kanji numerals suit the house number
- Name large and centred: a size larger than the address, with the honorific "sama." Use "onchu" for companies, and "sensei" for a teacher or mentor
- Married couple: the head of household on the right, the spouse's name to the left, each with its own honorific
- The whole family: "[surname]-ke go-ichido sama," or the head's name plus "go-kazoku sama"
The posting deadline and how to handle missed cards are in New Year Cards: When to Send.
PR — This page contains promotional content
Frequently asked questions
Can I use "Gasho" for my boss?
Better not. One- and two-character greetings are abbreviated, so for a boss or client use "Kinga Shinnen" or "Respectfully wishing you joy in the new year."
Why is punctuation avoided on new year cards?
It comes from a wish not to "put a full stop" on a celebration, and from the brush tradition of writing without punctuation. Readability is handled with line breaks and spacing.
Why not write "kyonen" for last year?
Because "kyo" contains the sense of "leave/depart," a taboo association. Write "sakunen" or "kyunen" instead.
Is "New Year, Happy New Year" wrong?
It is considered redundant, repeating "new year." Use "Happy New Year" on its own.
What should the personal line say?
One sentence on a shared topic is plenty - "the trip last year was great," "take care of yourself." A handwritten line the printed text lacks is what gives a card its value.