N4 · 40 words
Customs and events in Japanese
New Year, summer festivals, weddings and the other dates the year is organised around.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The Japanese year runs on a calendar of shared occasions, and the words for them come with expectations attached: 年賀状 are written in December to arrive on the first of January, children receive お年玉, and in summer many people travel home for お盆. Several of these words carry the polite prefix お as a fixed part of the word: お正月, お盆, お年玉.
The words
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Verb (2)
祝うto celebrateVerbN4
祖母の八十歳の誕生日を家族で祝いました。We celebrated my grandmother's eightieth birthday as a family.
飾るto decorate; to put on displayVerbN4
玄関に花を飾りました。I put some flowers in the entrance hall.
Noun (38)
お正月New Year (the first days of January)NounN4
お正月は家族みんなで過ごします。We spend New Year together as a family.
大晦日New Year's EveNounN4
大晦日の夜はそばを食べます。On New Year's Eve we eat soba noodles.
初詣the year's first visit to a shrine or templeNounN3
一月一日に近くの神社へ初詣に行きました。On the first of January we went to the local shrine for the first visit of the year.
年賀状New Year's cardNounN4
今年は年賀状を五十枚書きました。This year I wrote fifty New Year's cards.
お年玉New Year money given to childrenNounN4
子供たちはお年玉をもらって喜んでいます。The children are delighted with their New Year money.
新年the new yearNounN4
新年の目標を紙に書きました。I wrote my goals for the new year on a piece of paper.
Common in set words such as 新年会, a New Year party.
年末the end of the yearNounN4
年末は仕事がとても忙しいです。Work is very busy at the end of the year.
お盆Obon (the summer festival of the dead)NounN4
お盆には田舎に帰って、お墓に行きます。At Obon I go back to my home town and visit the family grave.
The same word also means a tray.
盆踊りBon danceNounN3
夏の夜、公園で盆踊りがあります。On summer evenings there is Bon dancing in the park.
花見cherry-blossom viewingNounN4
週末に会社の人とお花見をします。At the weekend I am going cherry-blossom viewing with people from work.
Usually お花見 in conversation.
祭りfestivalNounN4
この町のお祭りは毎年八月にあります。This town's festival is held every August.
Usually お祭り in conversation.
屋台food stallNounN3
お祭りの屋台で焼きそばを買いました。I bought fried noodles at a stall at the festival.
花火fireworksNounN4
川の近くで花火を見ました。We watched the fireworks near the river.
花火大会 is a fireworks display.
おせち料理New Year dishes (prepared in advance)NounN3
年末に母と一緒におせち料理を作りました。At the end of the year I made the New Year dishes with my mother.
Often just おせち.
七夕Tanabata (the star festival, 7 July)NounN4
七夕に願いを書いて、竹に飾りました。At Tanabata I wrote a wish and hung it on the bamboo.
節分Setsubun (the day before spring, early February)NounN3
節分には豆をまいて、「鬼は外」と言います。At Setsubun you throw beans and say "Demons out".
ひな祭りthe Doll Festival (Girls' Day, 3 March)NounN4
娘のために、ひな祭りの人形を出しました。I got the dolls out for the Doll Festival for my daughter.
こどもの日Children's Day (5 May)NounN4
こどもの日は五月五日で、学校は休みです。Children's Day is the fifth of May, and there is no school.
成人式coming-of-age ceremonyNounN3
成人式には着物を着る人が多いです。Many people wear a kimono to the coming-of-age ceremony.
誕生日birthdayNounN5
弟の誕生日は来週の土曜日です。My younger brother's birthday is next Saturday.
お祝いcelebration; congratulatory giftNounN4
友達の就職のお祝いに、みんなで食事をしました。We all had a meal together to celebrate our friend's new job.
結婚式weddingNounN4
来月、兄の結婚式があります。My older brother's wedding is next month.
披露宴wedding receptionNounN3
披露宴で新郎の友達が歌を歌いました。At the reception the groom's friends sang a song.
招待状invitation (card)NounN4
結婚式の招待状が届きました。The wedding invitation has arrived.
葬式funeralNounN4
葬式には黒い服を着て行きます。You wear black to a funeral.
Often お葬式.
クリスマスChristmasNounN4
日本ではクリスマスにケーキを食べる人が多いです。In Japan many people eat cake at Christmas.
バレンタインデーValentine's DayNounN4
バレンタインデーに会社でチョコレートを配りました。On Valentine's Day I handed out chocolates at work.
ゴールデンウィークGolden Week (holidays from late April into May)NounN4
ゴールデンウィークはどこも人が多いです。Everywhere is crowded during Golden Week.
祝日public holidayNounN4
月曜日は祝日なので、銀行が休みです。Monday is a public holiday, so the banks are closed.
記念日anniversaryNounN3
今日は両親の結婚記念日です。Today is my parents' wedding anniversary.
行事event (held regularly)NounN3
この学校には楽しい行事がたくさんあります。This school has a lot of fun events through the year.
お参りvisit to a shrine or temple; visit to a graveNounN3
旅行の前に、神社にお参りしました。Before the trip we went to pray at a shrine.
Also a verb: お参りする.
お守りgood-luck charmNounN4
母が試験のお守りを買ってくれました。My mother bought me a charm for my exams.
おみくじfortune slip (drawn at a shrine)NounN3
おみくじを引いたら、「大吉」でした。I drew a fortune slip and got "excellent luck".
入学式school entrance ceremonyNounN4
入学式の日は桜がきれいでした。The cherry blossoms were beautiful on the day of the entrance ceremony.
卒業式graduation ceremonyNounN4
卒業式で友達と写真を撮りました。I took photos with my friends at the graduation ceremony.
運動会school sports dayNounN4
息子の運動会を見に行きました。I went to watch my son's sports day.
文化祭school or university festivalNounN3
文化祭でクラスのみんなと劇をしました。At the school festival our whole class put on a play.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Culture, traditions and religion — five lists and 204 words that can also be practised as a whole.