The JASC is pleased to announce our 6th Annual Nengajo New Year’s Card Design Contest for all ages!

2026 is the Year of the Horse ( 午年 – uma toshi) from the Zodiac animal calendar, or eta. Curious about the origins of the Zodiac animal calendar? Watch the Donguri Kai students sharing the traditional origin story on JASC’s YouTube Channel here.

Donguri Kai students have enjoyed learning to make a Nengajo, or New Year’s Card, every year. We invite anyone to discover the joy of making a New Year’s Greeting Card in our annual contest.

History of Nengajo

There are many traditions for the season of Oshōgatsu, or New Year’s, in Japan and the Japanese American Community. Along with the thorough cleaning of your house (ōsōji) and preparing traditional foods for the first three days of the year (osechi ryōri), writing New Year’s greeting cards, or nengajo, to family and friends is a special holiday activity.

Sending nengajo is similar to holiday greetings in the Americas and Europe. Senders make time to send their gratitude and appreciation for help and kindness in the past year in an effort to continue strong relationships in the new year.

Nengajo are designed with special themes for the New Year including the eta, or Zodiac animal, of the coming year. Other traditional themes include kites, eggplants, the sun rising over Mt. Fuji, and a kadomatsu (decorative arrangements of pine, bamboo, and sometimes plum blossoms) as auspicious symbols for the next year.

Rules

Deadline: Designs must be submitted by dropping your design off at the JASC office or submit it electronically by email to programs@jasc-chicago.org or the online Google form by 5:00 pm January 11, 2026.

Your design can include:

• 2026 or 二〇六 四（Choose 1)
•  元旦, 一日,  あけましておめでとう, or Happy New Year’s Day (Choose 1)
•   午,  馬,  うま, or Horse (Choose 1)

You may want to include other traditional sayings such as:

• 明けましておめでとうございます (Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu): The most common “Happy New Year,” literally “Congratulations on the New Year opening”.
• 新年おめでとうございます (Shinnen omedetō gozaimasu): Another way to say “Happy New Year,” often used with the first phrase.
• 今年もよろしくお願いします (Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu): “I look forward to your continued good will/support this year,” often follows the New Year’s greeting.

• 謹賀新年 (Kinga Shinnen): Sincere New Year’s Greeting (formal, often printed).
• 恭賀新年 (Kyouga Shinnen): Respectful New Year’s Greeting (formal).
• 賀正 (Gashou) / 迎春 (Geishun): Shorter, seasonal words meaning “Celebrating the New Year”. 

Good luck in the contest and Best Wishes for the Year of the Horse!