How do you say “Happy New Year” in Japanese?

aki

Written by aki

2022.01.01

Category: Seasons Tips

akemashiteomedetou

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Thank you for reading the Kodawari Times.
I really enjoy chatting with people from overseas.

 

In your country, how do you say “Happy New Year“?

By the way, in Japan we say “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu“.

That’s a long one (laughs).

 

 

Here are the meanings of each word.

Akemashite(明けまして)

Akeru(明ける) means “dawn” in Japanese.

It refers to the beginning of a new year.

 

Omedetou gozaimasu(おめでとうございます)

If you are familiar with the Japanese language, you are probably familiar with the phrase “Omedetou gozaimasu”. It is a word used when celebrating.

 

 

In other words, Akemashite Omedetou gozaimasu is celebrating the fact that we were able to welcome the new year safely.

 

 

I would like to congratulate all of you for starting the year 2022 successfully.

Once again,

“Akemashite Omedetou gozaimasu!“

 

 

There’s more to Japanese New Year’s culture! Check them out.

Kodawari Times
2022.01.03
3 Things Japanese People Eat and Drink at New Year's
https://kodawari-times.net/fooddrink/new-years-gourmet
In Japan, there are special foods that are eaten on New Year's Day.This time, I will introduce three carefully selected ones.1.Osechi(おせち)Osechi (food served during the New Year's Holidays) is a square bento box-like container filled with a variety of dishes. Osechi-ryōri (御節料理, お節料理 or おせち) are traditional Japanese New Year foods. The tradition started in the Heian period (794–1185). Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako (重箱), whic...

Kodawari Times
2022.01.02
What dreams are considered good to see on New Year's Day in Japan?
https://kodawari-times.net/tips/column-hatsuyume
In Japan, there is a custom of divining one's fortune for the year by the first dream one has at the beginning of the year. It's a custom called "Hatsuyume" (a dream on the night of January 1st), and in English it's called "first dream of the New Year".So what kind of dream content is considered auspicious? One of the most auspicious words for the first dream is "1. Fuji, 2. Hawk, 3. Eggplant". 1. Fuji（富士山） 2. Hawk（鷹）&am...

Kodawari Times
2022.01.06
What is Mochi? We made mochi, a Japanese New Year's tradition.
https://kodawari-times.net/japanese-culture/mochitsuki
Hello, this is AKI.At my parents' house, we make rice cakes for the New Year. What is Mochi?According to Wikipedia…Mochi (Japanese: 餅, もち) is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the ...

aki

aki

Hello! I live in a place called Shiga, Japan. I'm not very good at English, but I'm writing this blog in the hope that I can convey some of Japan's beautiful places and delicious food to people overseas.

Articles by this author

SHARE THIS STORY: