Did you know that in Japan on New Year’s Eve people hang a rope at the entrance to the house? Also, in order to drive out the evil spirits, they laugh a lot before starting the countdown on New Year’s Eve. The bells of the Buddhist temples ring exactly 108 times to expel the 108 human defects. There are customs that seem strange for some people, but each country has its own ones. The fact is that all the people in the world wish “Happy New Year” to each other, of course, everyone in his own language. There are some peculiarities in Japanese about the translation of this expression. I recommend you to get acquainted with the official and informal expressions spoken both until New Year’s Eve and after it. Press Play button to listen to Japanese pronunciation of “Happy New Year”.

Audio	Transcription	Origin	IPA	Notes
	akemashite omedetō	明けましておめでとう		Informal expression used in speech after the New Year
	akemashite omedetō gozaimasu	明けましておめでとうございます	a.ke.ma.ɕi.te.o.me.de.toː .ɡo.dza.i.ma.sɯ	Official expression used after the New Year
	yoi otoshi o	良いお年を		Unofficial expression typically used before the New Year
	yoi otoshi o omukae kudasai	良いお年をお迎え下さい		Official expression used before the New Year
	kinga shinnen	謹賀新年	kiŋ.ɡa.ɕin.neɴ	Literary expression

Useful links

• How to write and say “Happy New Year” in different languages of the world
• English online translator
• English to Japanese translation
• Japanese online translator
• Japanese to English translation