New Year’s cards gallery

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An ongoing gallery of our annual New Year’s cards

Please check the index page for the newest ones

I have made New Year’s cards every year since 2001. (Except 2009, because of a death in the family.)

For the first 12 years (the snake year to the dragon year), we sent woodcut-printed cards. So, we don’t have the best prints.

When it became the second cycle of years, we started to order offset-printed cards using drypoint etching prints. After making several prints, I picked the best one and ordered offset printing. A few days later, I got the printed cards. I remember thinking that it was very easy compared to making woodblock prints.

As the concept for these New Year’s cards, I have my own rule that I decided by myself. It’s the rule that I always combine our cats and the zodiac signs for the year.

A note about the dates: The titles indicate the date in both the Western and Japanese calendar systems. For example, 2001 is also ‘H13’, which means the thirteenth year of the Heisei period (the reign of the Heisei emperor); 2020 is ‘R2’, the second year of the Reiwa period.

We will update this gallery every year, so please check back!

2022 (Reiwa 4) New Year’s Card: Year of the Tiger (front)
2021 (Reiwa 3) New Year’s Card: Year of the Ox postcard (front)
2020 (Reiwa 2) New Year’s Card: Year of the Rat (front)
2019 (Heisei 31) New Year’s Card: Year of the Boar (front)
2018 (Heisei 30) New Year’s Card: Year of the Dog (front)
2017 (Heisei 29) New Year’s Card: Year of the Rooster (front)
2016 (Heisei 28) New Year’s Card: Year of the Monkey (front)
2015 (Heisei 27) New Year’s Card: Year of the Sheep (front)
2014 (Heisei 26) New Year’s Card: Year of the Horse (front)
2013 (Heisei 25) New Year’s Card: Year of the Snake (front)
2012 (Heisei 24) New Year’s Card: Year of the Dragon
2011 (Heisei 23) New Year’s Card: Year of the Rabbit
2010 (Heisei 22) New Year’s Card: Year of the Tiger
2009 (Heisei 21) New Year’s Card: Year of the Cow
2008 (Heisei 20) New Year’s Card: Year of the Rat
2006 (Heisei 18) New Year’s Card: Year of the Dog
2005 (Heisei 17) New Year’s Card: Year of the Rooster
2004 (Heisei 16) New Year’s Card: Year of the Monkey
2003 (Heisei 15) New Year’s Card: Year of the Sheep
2002 (Heisei 14) New Year’s Card: Year of the Horse
2001 (Heisei 13) New Year’s Card: Year of the Snake