How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese

How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese

Learn how to wish someone a happy birthday in Japanese, along with essential cultural customs regarding parties, gift-giving, and etiquette.

Just like in any culture, birthdays are a big deal in Japanese life. If the family can afford it, lavish preparations are usually made to honor the person who is turning a year older. If you are going to visit Japan or stay in the country for an extended period, you may want to learn the typical phrases that the Japanese use to wish people a happy birthday.

• Being Extra Polite
  The Japanese place a strong emphasis on being courteous and polite at all times. When talking with people who are not immediate members of your family or close circle of friends, you are expected to use the term gozaimasu. This is usually responded to with arigatou gozaimasu or simply arigatou.
• Saying Happy Birthday
  If you want to greet someone who is a superior or older than yourself, you may say O-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu. This phrase signifies more respect than the alternative phrase, Tanjoubi omedetou. The latter is a more casual way of greeting someone on the day itself.
• The Party
  As you would expect, Japanese people can be quite reserved when it comes to celebrating birthdays. If you are invited to one, you should feel quite special because the guest list does not usually run long. The family often goes out to dine somewhere nice (usually a Japanese restaurant) to celebrate the day. Often, a very grand meal is ordered to mark the occasion.
  
  The "Happy Birthday" song also has a Japanese translation that is sung during the party. The English and original version of the song has seen increased use through the years due to the Westernization of modern Japanese culture. Just like at parties in the West, the birthday celebrant blows out candles on a cake. Presents are also usually given to the person being honored at the party.
• Gift Giving
  Gift-giving was not originally a Japanese custom, but with influences from the West, this has become an accepted practice, especially in urban areas. It is polite to hand gifts using both hands, and also to receive presents with both hands. Don't expect the receiver to open the gift in your presence, though. It is considered polite and traditional to open presents away from the gift-giver, unless the giver and receiver are very close friends.
  
  Also, you should be mindful of the cost of the presents you give. Sometimes, giving presents that are too lavish or expensive might add stress to your relationship with the receiver, as they might feel indebted. Still, you should not give gifts that are too cheap or inexpensive, especially if the recipient is considered to be of high social standing.
• Other Customs
  To the older generation, however, and in other regions of Japan, the celebration of birthdays is not quite customary. Since Japanese culture didn't really adopt the Gregorian calendar until the last century, marking the exact date of one's birth is not something most people are used to. In olden times, in fact, the Japanese celebrated everyone's birthday on New Year's Day.

As with any custom or culture that has crossed borders and seas, it is good to be mindful of the nuances, especially if you are visiting a foreign country. Even if the celebration of birthdays is mostly a Western concept, the cultures that have adopted it usually add their own twists and interpretations.