What's a nengaletter? Well, in Japan, a nengajo is a new year postcard that is sent to friends, family, business associates, clients, etc. Sort of like Westerners send Christmas cards or letters.

A nengaletter is my way of combining the two to provide the depth of a letter plus the personal graphic touch of a nengajo. I've also created nengaposters (A3 size nengaletters) and nengameishi. (Meishi is the Japanese word for business card, so how big is a nengameishi? That's right!)

Here is our small but growing collection of web-based nengaletters from years past and present. The images represent the nengajo that we sent to our Japanese friends who don't speak English. Click and enjoy!

2002

I think it was Shakespeare who long ago penned a line that exquisitely captured for Yoko and me the essence of the year 2001: “Exit, pursued by bear.”

2001
If Sherlock Holmes were alive and"between cases," I think I could throw a bit of work his way. I'd love to know, for example, what happened to my hair. And my mind. Haven't seen either around the house for quite some time now.

But the case that is sure to have even the Great House Detective scratching his head and reaching for his best magnifying glass is the Mystery of the Missing Year.

2000

After 45 years, I think I've finally figured it out. We have only so much capacity for complexity in our lives. I figure that I reached my limit about 10 years ago and, like a Japanese commuter train, have been operating at 300% capacity ever since.

1999

And so another year has passed. At the speed of light, it seemed. And from all directions, too. Maybe this year your faithful correspondent will finally learn to duck, jump, curl into fetal position or otherwise get out of the way whenever 1999 jumps the curb and points the hood ornament in his direction.

1998

"Steve?"
".........."
"STEVE!"
"...mmmuh?"
"Are you awake?"
"yyyy...nnnn..."
"Aren't you thirsty?"
"....?.... "
(New Year Resolution: teach Yoko how to use the espresso machine.)

1997

Well, THAT year didn't last long, did it? I mean, it was the regulation size and all, but it didn't exactly pull up a chair, kick off the shoes and chat awhile over a cup of coffee and jam toast, now, did it? Instead, it seemed to always want to be somewhere other than where it was, and making enough racket getting there for six years. If you happened to be nearby when it passed through, you could end up with jam on the carpet and coffee in your lap, wondering why the government doesn't do something about it.

1996

Let's see now...1995 was the year of the pig, so 1996 must be the year of the mouse. Finally, a year for us computer types...Happy Mousing!

For everyone living in Kobe, the top news story of 1995 is, of course, the earthquake on January 17. We'll never forget the "ride" at the top of our 36-story apartment building. Nor the view of the shattered city afterwards.

1994

And just for fun, a 3D nengajo from 1994. Click it for a fuller explanation of the nengajo tradition in Japan.