The 2019 New Year’s Greeting Card Contest

2018/11/27
The Japan Information and Cultural Center (JICC) at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco is pleased to announce the third annual New Year’s Greeting Card (Nengajo) Contest! The contest will be divided in two groups, one for elementary school students, and another for middle and high school students. The contest submission deadline is Thursday, January 17, 2019.

The top designs from each division will receive a certificate of accomplishment from the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. The JICC will display Nengajo in its gallery space from January through February 2019.

We invite you in celebrating this New Year’s tradition with us!

Necessary documents for submission:

Nengajo card (limit one per student)
Permission waiver form (one per submission, Download here)
Submission form (one per class, Download here)
*Please read Contest Rules (Download here)

For further inquiries about this contest, please contact:

Mariko Takei, Cultural Affairs Coordinator
E-mail: mariko.takei@sr.mofa.go.jp

About Nengajo and Japanese New Year

Example 1
Example 2
Oshogatsu, or the Japanese New Year holiday, is a very special time in Japan. Preparations begin long in advance as people clean their homes (Oosouji), prepare traditional New Year’s food (Osechi Ryori) to be eaten during the first three days of the New Year, and write New Year’s greeting cards (Nengajo).

Much like holiday cards and greetings exchanged in America, Nengajo are an important part of Oshogatsu. It is a way to express appreciation and keeping good relations for the year ahead with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers who have shown kindness, or helped during the previous year.

Nengajo are sent during the last month of the year, wishing greetings, prosperity, and happiness in the New Year. Nengajo cards often feature the eto, or zodiac animal of the upcoming year. This upcoming year’s zodiac animal is inoshishi, the boar. We invite you to celebrate this Oshogatsu tradition with us!
 

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