We usually start greeting "Happy New Year" even before the Jan 1. However Japanese does not greet that way.
Until Dec-31 23:59 they greet 今年はありがとうございました。 良いお年を。。。来年も宜しくお願いします。read as kotoshi arigatou gozaimashita. yoi otoshi wo. rai nen mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu. Literally meaning "Thank you for (all help you have done) this year. Next year be good. Thanks in advance for (all help you will do) next year".
On top of sending greeting cards, Japanese send gifts such as Meat, Fish, Sushi, Fruits, Sweets and other items as gift. There are services that take orders in advance and delivers with personal touch on Jan 1 to the recipient. The package and quality of service and the gift will be really ultimate, that you can never feel unhappy about it.
Until Dec-31 23:59 they greet 今年はありがとうございました。 良いお年を。。。来年も宜しくお願いします。read as kotoshi arigatou gozaimashita. yoi otoshi wo. rai nen mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu. Literally meaning "Thank you for (all help you have done) this year. Next year be good. Thanks in advance for (all help you will do) next year".
When the New Year starts i.e. Jan-1 00:00, they start greeting (新年)明けましておめでとう御座います。今年も宜しくお願いします。read as (shin nen) akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu. Literally meaning "New Year wishes, Thanks in advance for (all help you will do) this year".
Japanese too follow Chinese Years to represent the years. 2014 is the year of Horse.
The above is to Greet "Happy New Year" and to represent the Year of Horse. The kanji for Horse is 馬 read as uma. Its an artistic way of drawing horse itself on the kanji. Originally the Kanji might have developed from this kind of representation.
Japanese send greeting cards to their friends and relatives all over Japan and around the world. Japan Post sells printable greeting post cards (inclusive of postage stamp value) and pre-printed greeting post cards. Usually it comes with a number and on the New Year those will get into a lucky dip and lucky person will get good gifts on the New Year.
The post cards must be posted after Dec 1 and Before Dec 15 to make sure the delivery happens on Jan 1. The delivery is Guaranteed on Jan 1, around 2-3am.
On top of sending greeting cards, Japanese send gifts such as Meat, Fish, Sushi, Fruits, Sweets and other items as gift. There are services that take orders in advance and delivers with personal touch on Jan 1 to the recipient. The package and quality of service and the gift will be really ultimate, that you can never feel unhappy about it.
Like we decorate our house with mango leaves and tender coconut leaves, Japanese decorate with Bamboo and Pine and flowers, called as 門松 read as kado matsu, literally means Pine (decoration) at doors. There are several kinds of kado matsu, ranging from as simple as possible to as grand as possible. One can buy and decorate their house depending on the money they have and willing to spend on decoration.
On New Year's day generally Japanese will visit 神社 read as jinja means shrine, from mid night and there will be special pooja on the shrines all through the day. (Note: in jinja the pooja is done in sanskrit).
Like we do pooja for vehicles, Japanese do pooja especially on New Year day. There are special shrines that offer these automotive pooja and they will give お守り read as omamori, lucky charm that can be hanged on the dash board. Its believed that lucky charm will protect you from accidents/mishaps.
