Basic New Year Cards

This is a basic New year's card. It was purchased at the post office. The front is blank. People draw pictures here or write messages. The address goes on the back (left picture).

Here is a close-up of the back of the New Year's card.

This card has the postage already on it. It is printed on the card. So, this is like the postage stamp. This card costs 50 yen to mail. 2007 will be the Year of the Boar or Pig. In Japan, "Boar" is used instead of "Pig". You may know that "Nippon" is the Japanese word for "Japan".

These boxes are at the top of the back of the card. This is where the postal code or zip code is written. The receiver's address and name are written a few spaces below this. It is written from top to bottom, right to left. (Maybe I'll post an example later). The sender's address and name are written to the left, top to bottom, right to left.

This is at the bottom of the back of the card. These are lottery numbers. The winners are printed in the newspapers on January 14th. There is a range of prizes. The Japanese written by the boar is otoshidama. That is the money that is given at New Year's. More about that later.

This is a card that Big Sister wrote for one of her friends. Many people asked her to send them a card. It is fun to receive New Year's greetings from your friends, but it is also nice to have lots of chances for the lottery. The post man's arrival is anticipated on the first three days of the New Year.

Kids Web Japan--New Year's card