The New Year season in Japan is one of the most important times of year, and the greetings that go along with it are more varied and nuanced than a simple “Happy New Year.” Whether you are sending a message to a close friend or writing a card to your boss, there is a specific Japanese phrase for the occasion. This guide covers the casual, standard, and formal ways to ring in the new year in Japanese.
Yukaあけましておめでとう！今年もよろしくね！ (Happy New Year! Please keep looking out for me this year too!)
Reiあけましておめでとうございます。本年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 (Happy New Year. I look forward to your continued goodwill in the coming year.)
At a Glance: New Year Greetings by Level
| Japanese | Romanization | Register | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| あけおめ | ake ome | Very casual (friends only) | Happy New Year (short slang) |
| あけましておめでとう | akemashite omedetou | Casual / neutral | Happy New Year |
| あけましておめでとうございます | akemashite omedetou gozaimasu | Polite / formal | I wish you a Happy New Year |
| よいお年を | yoi otoshi wo | Casual / neutral | Have a good new year (said before Jan 1) |
| 本年もよろしく | honnen mo yoroshiku | Formal / business | Please continue your goodwill this year |
Casual Greetings: あけおめ and あけましておめでとう
“あけましておめでとう” means “Happy New Year” and can be used from January 1st through January 7th (the end of the 正月 season). The shortened form “あけおめ” is slang — it stands for あけましておめでとう and is used exclusively among close friends, often in text messages or social media. You can also pair it with ことよろ (short for 今年もよろしく) to create the ultra-casual combined phrase: あけおめ、ことよろ！
Yukaあけおめー！ (Happy New Year!)
Reiあけおめー！ (Happy New Year!)
Yukaあけましておめでとう。 (Happy New Year.)
Reiあけましておめでとう。 (Wishing you a Happy New Year.)
Standard Greetings for Friends and Acquaintances
These expressions work for anyone you know reasonably well — classmates, neighbors, distant relatives, or friends of friends. They are warm and friendly without being too formal.
Yuka良い一年を！ (Have a great year!)
Reiいい1年だといいね！ (I hope it will be a wonderful year!)
Yukaあけましておめでとう！今年は去年よりもっと会えるといいね！ (Happy New Year! I hope we can get together more often this year than last!)
Rei休暇中は安全に過ごしてね。 (Stay safe over the holidays.)
Yukaよいお年を！ (Have a good new year! — said before January 1st)
Formal Greetings: あけましておめでとうございます and Beyond
In formal or business contexts, the polite form あけましておめでとうございます is the baseline. Native speakers typically follow it with an additional phrase showing respect and goodwill, especially to someone who helped them the previous year. The combination 昨年はお世話になりました。本年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします is the standard complete business New Year greeting.
Yukaあけましておめでとうございます。 (I wish you a Happy New Year.)
Reiあけましておめでとうございます。本年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 (Happy New Year. I look forward to your continued goodwill this year.)
Yuka昨年はお世話になりました。 (Thank you for all your help last year.)
Reiみなさんの健康とますますのご活躍をお祈りしています。 (I wish everyone great health and continued success.)
Yuka新年のご挨拶を申し上げます。 (Please allow me to extend my New Year greetings.)
Reiご家族にとって幸福で素晴らしい年になりますように。 (I hope the new year is happy and wonderful for your whole family.)
Quick Quiz
Choose the most appropriate greeting for each situation.
1. A text message to your best friend on January 2nd: ___
2. The first email of the year to your company boss: ___
3. Meeting a neighbor before the new year arrives: ___
Answers: 1. あけおめー！ or あけましておめでとう 2. あけましておめでとうございます。本年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 3. よいお年を！
Japanese New Year greetings are layered with formality signals, just like all Japanese communication. The key is matching the register of your greeting to your relationship with the person. Start with あけましておめでとう as your all-purpose phrase, then upgrade to the formal version or downgrade to あけおめ based on context.
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