#2 Akemashite omedeto!!
The New Year Holiday is by far the most important and revered celebration in Japan. There is excitement and urgency in the air as people bustle about getting ready to bring in the New Year. Traditionally, it is important not to bring anything from the old year into the New Year; therefore, all leftover debts and/or business should be tended to. Also, the house and yard must get a thorough cleaning, which is commonly referred to as “The BIG Cleaning”!
Another New Year’s tradition in Japan is sending out New Year’s postcards, just as Holiday greeting cards are sent here in the States. Unlike the Holiday cards sent in the States, however, Japanese New Year’s postcards MUST be sent after the beginning of the New Year, because the direct translation of their “Happy New Year” phrase is: “the new year has arrived; congratulations!”
Next year, instead of sending the usual Holiday greeting card to your Japanese clients, friends or relatives, consider sending a New Year’s postcard. In it you might write: “Akemashite omedetou (Happy New Year) ? Wishing you a healthy and happy year”. Most importantly, make certain the postcard arrives on or after the first of the New Year. Your thoughtfulness and attention to this important detail of Japanese culture will be noticed and appreciated.
Happy New Year!