Celebration
新年会 What Is A Shinnenkai?
Jan 7th
First let us break down the meaning of the word by defining the Kanji (Borrowed Chinese Characters).
新 = New
年 = Year
会 = Meet or Party
As with the Bounenkai (忘年会), Shinnenkai’s are pretty much the same. Meet with your friends, colleagues, clubs, teammates,etc. Drink, eat and be marry is the best way to describe it. Also expect to go out after the first party to the “second party” and “third party”.
2nd Party = 二次会 ＝ Ni Ji Kai
3rd Party = 三次会 = San Ji Kai
4th Party = 四次会 = Yo Ji Kai
5th Party = 五次会 = Go Ji Kai
Don’t forget that most likely you will be hung over so take off the next day.
Hang Over = 二日酔い = Fu Tsu Ka Yoi
忘年会 What is a Bounenkai?
Dec 19th
What is a Bounenkai?
First let us break down the meaning of the world by defining the Kanji (Borrowed Chinese Characters).
忘= Forget
年= Year
会= Meet
So as you can see from the Kanji definitions the word Bounenkai is a “Forget The Year Party”. The cool thing about Bounenkai’s in Japan is that you usually get to go to several of them. My wife said that the average is about 5 Bounenkai’s for most normal folks!! Don’t be suprised if you get invited to a lot of these parties by:
- Company
- Coworkers
- University Friends
- Friends
- Family
- Students
- Team
- Clubs
At Bounenkai’s expect to have to drink and eat a lot. You might also have to go to sign at the local karaoke box after the first party is over. I recommend you get a lot of rest before these parties. It would also be a good idea to not work the day after a Bounenkai!! The number one thing you want to do at Bounenkai’s is have a good time and forget all the bad things that happened to you, and remember the good ones. The ideas is to have so much fun, you forget the negative things.