FEATURED EVENT

ABOUT THE CONTEST

The contest is divided into 3 age categories: junior (0-11), youth (12-17), and adult (18+) divisions. There will be one first-prize winner and one runner-up from each category. In addition, honorable mentions will be chosen for the categories of "Most Creative," "Most Traditional," and "JICC Staff Favorite" designs. Designs will be judged by JICC staff and other members of the Embassy of Japan.

The three first-prize winners will each receive a fukubukuro—a customary Japanese grab-bag of goodies to celebrate the New Year. All qualifying entires will be displayed in-person at the JICC during the month of January. For a chance to be featured on the JICC's Instagram, use the hashtag #2025JICCNengajo.

*An Important Note for Teachers (先生方へのお願い): Due to growing class entries, please read the rules below to learn how to submit student entries together as a class to ensure compliance with competition rules, especially those regarding file formatting. Of course, this is not a requirement and individual student entries will still be accepted!

RULES

Eligibility: The contest is open to the public.
Regulations: Designs must fit the traditional postcard size of 4x6 inches.
Designs must also incorporate:

1. A Snake
2. 巳 - (The kanji for Snake found on eto, or the Zodiac animal calendar)
3. The year 2025 (or Reiwa 7/令和七年 in the Japanese calendar)

Designs must be the contestant's original artwork, not taken directly from any manga, anime, or other image or artwork protected by copyright. Any designs suspected of plagiarism or copyright violations will be disqualified without notice.

Submissions: Submissions must be received in digital format to jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp. Only one (1) nengajo will be allowed per person.

In the submission email, please include the following information:

• Name
• Age
• City, State, and Country
• If under the age of 13: Written Parental or Guardian Consent

Accepted File Types: Submissions must be received in .jpg, .jpeg, .png, or .pdf file types. .HEIC file types are not accepted.

Nengajo not submitted according to these guidelines may result in disqualification without notice. Personal information of minors will be restricted when published and destroyed within a month of publication. Parental or guardian consent is required for children under the age of 13. Please see our privacy policy, linked at the bottom of this page, for more information. Please contact us if you have any questions at jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp.

*An Important Note for Teachers (先生方へのお願い): We are grateful to the teachers who use this competition as an extra credit opportunity for their students. As interest in the JICC Nengajo Contest has grown, we request that teachers submit student entries together as a class to ensure compliance with competition rules, especially those regarding file formatting. Please contact us at jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp to coordinate a class submission. Of course, this is not a requirement and individual student entries will still be accepted!

**Note: You will receive a message confirming that we have received your submission. If you do not receive a message within 72 hours, or by the deadline, please contact us. We are not responsible for entries that are lost, misdirected, or transmitted late or incorrectly.

Awards: First place winners in each division will receive a JICC fukubukuro. (Please note that applicants residing outside of the US are not eligible to receive a prize, but are still encouraged to participate and will be featured in our gallery.)

Rights: As between the JICC, Embassy of Japan and the Entrant, the Entrant retains ownership of all intellectual and industrial property rights (including moral rights) in and to their nengajo submission. As a condition of entry, Entrant grants the JICC a worldwide, transferable, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, publish, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display the nengajo for any purpose, including display on the JICC website, social media pages, and gallery with attribution to Entrant.

Questions & Comments: For questions, comments, and rule clarifications, please email the JICC at jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp.