Happy New Year!!  あけましておめでとうございます！

This is a year of mouse (子/ne) and to be precise, 庚子 (kanoene). 庚 is one of 十干 (jikkan/Heavenly Stems) that are a Chinese system of ordinals which has been used since c. 1250BC. In Japan, calendar is made of a combination of jikkan and junishi (十二支/Chinese zodiac and there are 12 animals).  Apparently both mouse and kanoe mean "entering a new phase". I am excited to know what sort of new world is waiting for me in 2020.  

In Japan, it's a common custom to send New Year Cards to friends, colleagues and the people who are important to you. So I have made some and sent them out. I couldn't send as many cards as I wanted as they are all handwritten but I hope I can make more next year. 

As you can see, each card is so unique and beautiful that it is fun to receive them. The cards are traditionally delivered to you on the 1st of January but as I know here in Europe, no post service on the New Year Day, so I send them out to reach as close as the 1st of January. 

This is my card of 2020. 

On the left page: 初志 (Shoshi) – The first decision. Since it is the beginning of the year, this can be your New Year's resolution. The red seal is my calligrapher name, 侑香 (yuko).

On the right page: far right says 賀正 (gasho), means Happy New Year, and 二〇二〇 is 2020. Then the mouse in sumie. 

Here is an example of how to decorate the card, just like what you do with the Christmas cards. You can also place it in a frame if you like it very much.

Wish you all a wonderful year and lots of smile in 2020.