Happy New Year!

　１２月の最後の授業で学生から「先生、新年おめでとう」と言われることがあります。

でも、実はこれは正しくありません。

日本人は年末には「よいお年を」と、そして新しい年になってから「新年おめでとう」、「明けましておめでとう」などと言います。

　2011年もAOBAを応援してくれてどうもありがとう。来年も皆さんにとって幸せな一年になりますように心を込めて・・・「よいお年をお迎えください！」

During the last lessons in the month of December, students had wished our teachers [Sensei, Shin nen omedetou], which means [Happy New Year, Teacher]. However, the usage of the phrase is actually incorrect.

For the Japanese, a phrase [ Yoi otoshi wo] would be used at the end of the year to wish each other a good year ahead. At the start of the new year, phrases like [ Shin nen omedetou ] or [ Ake mashite omedetou ] would be more appropriate to wish each other a happy new year.

On this note, Aoba would like to thank you for the support you have provided in the year 2011 and we wish from the bottom of our hearts that you will lead a joyous year in 2012.

We hope that you will welcome a joyous and fruitful new year.

[ Yoi otoshi wo mukae kudasai ].