An_Instance_Of_New_Year_Card_In_Japan

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“Nengajo” refers to New Year's greeting card in Japan, which has traditionally been exchanged between people. Even today, with the spread of e-mail, the number of New Year's cards sold is about 15 per person.

The history of nengajo dates back to the Heian period. The oldest existing New Year's greeting card in Japan is said to be the sentences in “Niwakun Orai,” a collection of letter examples created by Fujiwara no Akihira, a scholar of the Heian period. Sending New Year's greeting cards spread to the general public with the start of the postal system in 1871. Postcards began to be issued in 1873, and in around 1887, the number of New Year's cards increased dramatically.

These days, it's easy to find out what's going on with each other through social networking services. However, a New Year's card with a lot of effort and thought put into it can deliver a sense of realness that cannot be conveyed digitally. It is also a good opportunity to remember those who are not connected through SNS. When you look back at the photos you took that year to choose the ones to use for the New Year's cards, it brings back a lot of memories as well. The excitement you feel when you finish writing the card and send it off at the post office is something you can't experience with e-mail too.

At Shokunin.com we offer writing tools that you may use to write down your greetings. Onishi Seisakusho’s Fountain Pen and Ballpoint Pen are beautiful, handmade pens made of an environmentally friendly material called acetate. Hirai Mokko’s Ballpoint Pen, which is uncolored and non-coated, is made by Mr. Hirai, who uses a single, natural wooden block with high rarity. Please have a look!

Onishi Seisakusho’s Pen
https://www.shokunin.com/en/onishi/pen.html
Hirai Mokko’s Ballpoint Pen
https://www.shokunin.com/en/hiraimokko/pen.html

References:
https://www.postcard.jp/nenga/column/01nenga-yurai.html
https://www.postcard.jp/nenga/column/08nenga-daishitakunaru.html
https://nenga.kitamura.jp/useful/history.html
https://bit.ly/2K1cbh0