Nengajo means "New Years Postcards" and is a very important custom in Japan. Similar to us in Australia sending Christmas Cards... although not everyone in Australia does so. In Japan everyone sends Nengajo, they are sent to clients, work colleague’s, old friends, new friends, people that may have shared a Hospital room with their son over five years ago... that one really surprised me!
Prepaid blank postcards can be purchased from the post office in December, this allows postal staff to distinguish the cards with normal mail. Families will then usually design their own artwork for the card, generally featuring the years Chinese Zodiac sign. This year is the year of the Dragon, last year was the year of the Rabbit. These day more and more families are featuring images of their children or themselves on their cards... I love the photos from holidays they have been on. Mr & Mrs standing in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or their Hotel in Italy, or a picture from their wedding... etc etc, sure you get the idea!
Shota's family used an image of a seahorse (in Japanese it's called a sea dragon) and the text 2012. I was disappointed with the design and suggested they used a photo of Nobutaka & Chisa in Okinawa... they just laughed!
All the cards are sent out at the end of December, so that they can be delivered on New Year’s Day. The post Office collate all the cards for each house. So on New Year’s day, after we finished breakfast, Chisa and Nobutaka sifted through the hundreds of Nengajo. They both received a stack each, as they both know different people. The other important thing to do with the cards is to write the date it arrived at their house... because if one arrives on the 4th of January, its clear that they only sent one because they received one in the mail on New Years day. Therefore they will be scratched of the list and not be sent one next year...
During the lead up to the end of the year, families that are in mourning (have lost a family member that year) will send a card out alerting people to this. So you won't send that family a Nengajo card and the family in mourning will not be sending out any this year. Shota's family have been receiving this type of cards, since we arrived in October.
Here are a few of the cards below; I have included cards from 2011 & 2012...
Older family members will give children, their own and those from extended families, money or gifts. Shota and I were lucky enough to also receieve gifts this year. From his parents I received a lovely black scarfe... they must know thats my colour. And Shota received a Neck warmer, the one that you heat in the microwave, then tie around your neck. We also received gifts from his Unccle, Shota was given pickled onions and I was given a wonderful hot pink teeshirt from Asakusa, touristy area in Tokyo!
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