Nengajo: Japan’s New Year’s Greeting Cards

Do you know what the Japanese version of a Christmas card is like?

It’s called a nengajo—a New Year’s postcard sent to friends, relatives, and colleagues as soon as the year begins.
For Japanese people, the New Year is not only about family gatherings and festive meals. It is also the season of sending nengajo.

But what exactly are these postcards?
And what kind of meaning do they carry?

Let’s explore the charm and tradition of nengajo—Japan’s answer to the Christmas card, filled with warmth and good wishes for the year ahead.

What Are Nengajo?

A nengajo (年賀状) is a greeting card sent in Japan to celebrate the New Year.
Unlike ordinary letters, nengajo are most often sent as postcards, and there are even special New Year’s postcards called nenga hagaki created just for this tradition.

The purpose of a nengajo is not only to say “Happy New Year!” but also to:

Express gratitude for the kindness and support received in the past year
Wish for continued friendship, health, and happiness in the year ahead
Sometimes share personal updates or news when writing to close friends

One of the most unique customs is that people aim to have their nengajo delivered on January 1st, the very first day of the year.
Thanks to Japan’s postal system, millions of cards are sorted and timed so that they arrive exactly on New Year’s Day, making the greeting feel especially meaningful.

Origins and History of Nengajo

Here is a simple overview of the origins and history of nengajo.
Let’s take a look at how this custom began and how it has evolved into the form we know today.

Early History: Before Modern Times

Before Japan had a modern postal system, nengajo took very different forms.
Let’s explore how people exchanged their New Year’s greetings back then.

Asuka Period (6th–7th century)
The idea of the New Year as a special, sacred beginning took shape.
People practiced reihō—making formal visits to relatives and superiors at the start of the year.
Nara and Heian Periods (8th–12th century)
Decorative objects and written greetings were exchanged at New Year.
Among the aristocracy, written notes gradually became a common way to send New Year’s wishes.
Edo Period (17th–19th century)
With rising literacy among samurai and townspeople, written greetings spread widely.
The courier system (hikyaku) made it possible to deliver New Year’s letters to distant places, a forerunner of the postal system.

In this way, nengajo gradually developed—from face-to-face New Year visits, to written exchanges, and eventually to letters carried across distances.

Modern History: From Meiji to Postwar

With the arrival of Japan’s modern postal system, nengajo transformed from a limited custom into a nationwide tradition.
Let’s see how the practice spread rapidly and adapted through times of change.

Meiji Period (late 19th century)
In 1871, Japan’s modern postal service was established.
By the 1880s, sending New Year’s postcards became a nationwide custom.
Special treatment for nengajo began, ensuring that they would be delivered exactly on January 1st.
Early 20th century
With mailboxes introduced, nengajo numbers exploded—by the early 1900s, more than 400 million cards were exchanged each year.
Prewar and Postwar Era
The custom faced interruptions during difficult times such as the Great Kanto Earthquake and wartime shortages.
After World War II, nengajo returned, and in 1949 the lottery-attached nengajo was introduced, becoming a massive hit.

Through these developments, nengajo firmly established themselves as a beloved national tradition, carried forward even through hardship and change.

Nengajo Today

Today, nengajo continue to evolve. Here are the main ways they are created and shared today:

Printed at Home
Since the 1970s, home printers and design services have allowed people to create more personalized and creative nengajo. Families often add photos or custom artwork to make their greetings unique.
Digital Greetings
With the rise of email, messaging apps, and social media, many people now send “digital nengajo” instead of postcards. This trend is especially popular among younger generations.
Nengajo-jimai (Ending the Tradition)
Some choose to formally announce that they will no longer send nengajo, often out of consideration for age, lifestyle changes, or simply shifting to digital communication.

This long journey shows how nengajo have adapted with the times, yet never lost their role as a heartfelt New Year’s greeting.

Unique Features of Nengajo

Beyond their long history, nengajo have several unique features that set them apart from greeting cards in other cultures.
Here, let’s take a closer look at what makes Japanese New Year’s cards so special.

Guaranteed New Year’s Day Delivery

One of the most remarkable aspects of nengajo is that the postal system promises to deliver them exactly on January 1st.

In Japan, these cards are handled as “New Year’s Special Mail” (年賀特別郵便).
Post offices begin collecting and sorting nengajo throughout December, but they hold them until the New Year begins.
On New Year’s Day—when most people are resting at home—postal workers make their rounds, delivering the greetings all at once across the country.

This means that on January 1st, people everywhere open their mailboxes to find a bundle of New Year’s cards waiting for them.
It creates a shared celebratory moment that connects millions of households across Japan.

Zodiac Animal Designs

A feature that reflects Japanese culture in nengajo is the use of the Chinese zodiac animals, known in Japan as eto (干支).

The eto system follows a 12-year cycle, and since ancient times it has been used not only to count years, but also to mark months, times of day, directions, and even angles.
Each year is represented by one of twelve animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar.

Each animal carries symbolic qualities that are believed to influence the year’s fortune. For example:

The Year of the Rabbit (卯年) is seen as gentle and peaceful, often associated with safety and harmony.
The Year of the Snake (巳年), with the snake’s cycle of shedding its skin, symbolizes rebirth, renewal, and the vitality of life.

On nengajo, people decorate their cards with the zodiac animal of the upcoming year.
This is not just for fun—it represents heartfelt wishes for good luck, health, and prosperity, expressing the sender’s hopes for the recipient’s happiness in the year ahead.

Lottery-Attached Nengajo (Otoshidama Hagaki)

One of the most unique features of nengajo is the lottery-attached New Year’s postcard, known as Otoshidama Hagaki.

Each card is printed with a lottery number, and the winning numbers are announced in mid-January.
On that day, people excitedly compare the numbers on the nengajo they received with the official results—sometimes with cheers of joy, sometimes with playful disappointment.

Prizes can range from stamps and cash to regional specialties or catalog gifts that recipients can choose from.
In this way, nengajo are not only a form of New Year’s greeting but also a kind of lucky draw for the new year, adding an element of excitement and fun to the tradition.

This system makes receiving nengajo even more special, turning each card into both a heartfelt message and a chance at unexpected happiness.

Together, these features show how nengajo are more than just simple postcards.
They are carefully timed, symbolically rich, and even playful—reflecting Japan’s unique way of welcoming the New Year with both sincerity and joy.

Mourning Postcards (Mochū Hagaki)

There is another unique custom in the tradition of Japanese New Year’s cards that should not be overlooked.
It is called the mourning postcard, or mochū hagaki (喪中はがき).

In Japan, when a close family member passes away, the following New Year is not considered a time for celebration. Instead, the household is regarded as being “in mourning” (mochū), and sending cheerful New Year’s cards is avoided out of respect.

To let friends, relatives, and colleagues know, people send a mochū hagaki in advance—usually in November or December.
The message politely explains that the family will refrain from sending nengajo that year.

For example, a typical phrasing might be:

Because we are in mourning, we will not be sending New Year’s greetings.
Thank you for your understanding.

When someone receives a mochū hagaki, it is common not to send a nengajo to that person, as a quiet way of showing respect for their mourning.
It is not a strict rule, but rather a matter of shared understanding and cultural sensitivity.

This practice reflects a deeply rooted Japanese sense of sensitivity and consideration—balancing celebration with respect during times of loss.

Modern Variations and Messages

Today, New Year’s greetings in Japan take many forms and styles.

While traditional nengajo are still sent as postcards, greetings now also appear in emails, social media posts, and chat apps like LINE.
Technically, only the postcards are called nengajo, but the spirit of the greeting lives on in these new formats.

Among younger generations, the phrasing itself has also become more casual.
The formal greeting is:

Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu. Honnen mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu
(Happy New Year, I look forward to your continued kindness this year)

Friends, however, often use shortened versions like:

Ake-ome. Koto-yo-ro.

Even with these changes, the heartfelt meaning remains the same.
People send New Year’s greetings to wish happiness and good fortune, or to reconnect with friends they may not see often.
The New Year provides a natural opportunity to share updates, rekindle friendships, and affirm that bonds have not been forgotten.

In this way, whether formal or casual, handwritten or digital, New Year’s greetings continue to serve as a warm reminder of connection at the start of each year.

Conclusion: A Tradition of Gratitude and Connection

From handwritten letters in ancient times to today’s printed postcards and digital messages, nengajo have continually evolved with Japanese society.
Yet at their core, they remain a tradition of gratitude, connection, and hope—a way to start the year by affirming relationships and sending warm wishes.

Whether adorned with zodiac animals, delivered on New Year’s Day, or carrying the excitement of a lottery number, nengajo reflect Japan’s unique way of balancing formality with joy.

Even as more people turn to email or social media, the custom still reminds us of something timeless: at the start of every year, we pause to think of others, to share kindness, and to celebrate the ties that connect us.
In this sense, nengajo are more than just postcards—they are a living symbol of how Japan welcomes the New Year with sincerity and warmth.