Japan celebrated New Year’s earlier today, and people in America will be celebrating in just a few short hours. So for everyone that wants to start the New Year learning more Japanese, here are a few easy phrases to use in 2019!

1. あけましておめでとうございます/ Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

This is the big one you need to know. It means “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” So you can use it to celebrate the start of a wonderful New Year.

2. お正月はどうする？/Oshogatsu wa do suru?

This is a simple phrase that means “What are you doing for New Year?” So you can ask everyone about all of their New Year’s plans, and maybe you can join them too.

3. お節料理 /osechi ryōri

If you have any Japanese friends/family, then I’m sure they have probably been hard at work preparing some pretty elaborate meals for New Year’s. Well, this is likely “Osechi Ryori”, a traditional Japanese meal which is considered a super-important part of the celebration. The layers of food represent hope, happiness, and wealth to come. So if someone invites you to eat some “Osechi Ryori”, make sure you say yes!

 4. 年越しそば /toshikoshi soba

This means “Year-Crossing Soba” and it is a traditional bowl of soba that is eaten on New Year’s Eve. There is a lot of symbolism in this super-simple meal. You enjoy peace with each bite, you let go of the past because the soba noodles are easily cut, you grow strong  like the tough buckwheat noodles, and it ushers in prosperity. Not bad for a simple bowl of noodles, right?

5. 福袋 /Fukubukuro

These are Japanese “Lucky Bags” and are very popular at the start of the New Year, with companies from McDonald’s, Starbucks, Mister Donut, and many more creating their own grab bags of very cool (and very limited) items. In the next few days you will see many bloggers and YouTubers psoting all of their cool “Lucky Bag” hauls, and I’m sure we will be showing you some too!

6. 今年も宜しくお願いします /Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu

This is a wonderful phrase that means “Please support me again this year!” We have had some amazing love from our friends, family, and all of our followers/subscribers/supporters this year, so please continue to support us this New Year! And make sure to support all those you care about too!

–JapanSauce Team