“New Year’s greetings” (nenshi no aisatsu) refers to New Year’s greetings in Japan. In business settings, these greetings are exchanged with important clients, customers, and colleagues to express gratitude for the past year and convey hopes for a continued positive relationship in the new year.
Key Elements of New Year’s Greetings
New Year’s greetings typically include the following:
- New Year’s well-wishing: Starting with a phrase like “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu” (Happy New Year).
- Expressing gratitude: Thanking the recipient for their support during the previous year.
- Sharing aspirations: Briefly mentioning goals and prospects for the current year.
- Requesting continued cooperation: Expressing a desire to maintain a good relationship.
Methods of Conveying New Year’s Greetings
Several methods are commonly used:
- Nengajo (New Year’s postcards): A traditional approach, particularly effective for important clients and superiors. However, more companies are opting out of sending nengajo these days.
- Nenshi mawari (New Year’s visits): Visiting clients and business partners in person to offer greetings. While this practice is declining, it’s still common for key relationships.
- Email: Increasingly popular as an alternative to nengajo and in-person visits.
- Telephone: Used for close contacts or urgent situations.
- Business social media: Sending New Year’s messages via platforms like LinkedIn.
Timing of New Year’s Greetings
Greetings are typically conveyed within the “Matsu no uchi” period, which generally lasts until January 7th but can extend to January 15th in some regions. However, as this is a busy time for businesses, it’s crucial to be mindful of the recipient’s schedule and avoid causing inconvenience.
Examples of New Year’s Greetings
Nengajo:
謹賀新年 (Kinnen Shin'nen - Happy New Year)
旧年中は格別のご厚情を賜り、厚く御礼申し上げます (Kyūnen-chū wa kakubetsu no gokōjō o tamawari, atsuku orei mōshiagemasu - Thank you very much for your special consideration during the past year.)
本年も社員一丸となり、より一層のサービス向上に努めて参ります (Honnen mo shain ichigan to nari, yori issō no sābisu kōjō ni tsutomete mairimasu - This year, all our employees will work together to further improve our services.)
変わらぬご愛顧のほど、よろしくお願い申し上げます (Kawaranu go-aigō no hodo, yoroshiku onegai mōshiagemasu - We appreciate your continued patronage.)
令和六年 元旦 (Reiwa rokunen gantan - New Year's Day, Reiwa 6)
あけましておめでとうございます (Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu - Happy New Year)
昨年は大変お世話になり、誠にありがとうございました (Sakunen wa taihen osewa ni nari, makoto ni arigatō gozaimashita - Thank you very much for your support last year.)
本年も貴社のお役に立てるよう、精一杯努力して参ります (Honnen mo kisha no oyakudate ni tateru yō, seiippai doryoku shite mairimasu - We will do our utmost to be of service to your company this year.)
今後ともご指導ご鞭撻のほど、よろしくお願い申し上げます (Kongo tomo go-shidō go-bentatsu no hodo, yoroshiku onegai mōshiagemasu - We appreciate your continued guidance and encouragement.)
Email:
Subject: New Year's Greetings (Yamada, 〇〇 Co., Ltd.)
To: △△ Co., Ltd.
〇〇 Department, 〇〇-sama
Happy New Year!
This is Yamada from 〇〇 Co., Ltd.
Thank you very much for your continued support over the past year.
This year, all our employees will work together to be of service to your company. We look forward to your continued guidance and support.
We wish you and all your employees a wonderful year.
This email is to express our New Year's greetings.
------------------------------------
〇〇 Co., Ltd.
〇〇 Department, Taro Yamada
〒〇〇〇-〇〇〇〇
〇〇-ku, Tokyo 〇〇 〇-〇-〇
TEL：〇〇-〇〇〇〇-〇〇〇〇
E-mail：〇〇〇@〇〇.co.jp
-----------------------------------
Nenshi Mawari (In-person visits) or Telephone:
- “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Sakunen wa taihen osewa ni nari, arigatō gozaimashita. Honnen mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.” (Happy New Year! Thank you for your support last year. We look forward to working with you this year.) – Basic greeting.
- “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Sakunen wa 〇〇 no ken de taihen osewa ni narimashita. Honnen mo kawaranu otsuki-ai no hodo, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.” (Happy New Year! Thank you for your support with 〇〇 last year. We look forward to continuing our relationship this year.) – Expressing gratitude for specific support.
- “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Honnen mo, 〇〇-sama ni gomanzoku itadakeru yō, seiippai doryoku shite mairimasu node, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.” (Happy New Year! We will do our best to satisfy you this year, 〇〇-sama.) – Stating aspirations for the year.
- “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Honnen mo, 〇〇-sama no oyakudate ni tateru yō, jinryoku shite mairimasu node, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.” (Happy New Year! We will strive to be of service to you this year, 〇〇-sama.) – Mentioning future cooperation.
Key Points
- Choose the appropriate method and expressions based on your relationship with the recipient.
- Express gratitude and future aspirations concisely and politely.
- Proofread emails carefully before sending.
- Make appointments for in-person visits.
Takuya’s Note: New Year’s greetings play a vital role in Japanese business culture, expressing gratitude and fostering strong relationships. Choose the right approach, be mindful of etiquette, and convey your greetings with sincerity. I hope this explanation provides a deeper understanding of New Year’s greetings in Japan.
