Japanese New Year Custom for Kids - Otoshidama-
- Juju Kurihara
- Jan 7, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: May 9, 2023
One of the things I loved about Oshogatsu when I was a child but I don’t like about it as an adult is, Otoshidama (お年玉). This is a Japanese New Year custom that children receive some money during the new year. As I grew up in a small family and I had relatives only from my mother’s side, the amount of Otoshidama wasn’t so big. But some of out classmates would collect around 500€ which was a great deal for a 11-year-old child. We would have a competition who got more money. I would never told how much I received since I had only a few relatives.
As an adult, Otoshidama is a completely another story. I haven’t been back to Japan for the new year for a long time and I could somehow manage not to give otoshidama to my nieces and a nephew. But the things have changed since my son was born. His grandma wants to see him and one year, we went to spend the new year in Japan. I had five nieces and nephews at that time and I gave 20 to 30€ each. Ouch….
Now I’m glad I don’t have a big family but still, I will have seven nieces and nephews by next new year. Since my son gets some, I will have to give them too. I better start saving up some money.
But how much do you have to give them? There are some standard amounts.
0 to 5 years old : 1000 yen (9-10€)
6 to 9 years old : 2000 yen (18-20€)
9 to 12 years old : 3000 yen (28-30€)
Secondary school students : 5000 yen (48-50€)
High school to university students : 5000 yen to 10,000 yen (48-100€)
This is just an idea and each family has a slightly different price setting.
If you are giving otoshidama, make sure you prepare new bills and not from your wallet. New bills mean “new start” and “preparation for this new year”. You can have them changed at any banks or post offices. So be prepared.
Also the bills are commonly folded in three. Never fold in four, because number 4 can be pronounced “shi” in Japanese and this sound also reminds Japanese people death (死, “shi”). It’s not so appropriate for a fresh new year.
Here is a video shows you how to fold the bill in three.
References:
When and how much should we give otoshidama? : https://nacchi33.net/entry/2017-10-10-083000/
Otoshidama should be fold in three : https://kosodate19.com/11879.html
More about Japanese New Year
Professional education continues to help individuals build confidence while preparing for career milestones within technical industries. Discussions about ice subscription commonly encourage learners to seek structured study opportunities that support stronger understanding of professional review expectations and engineering competencies. The College of Contract Management provides online coaching designed to help learners improve knowledge through tutor-led guidance and flexible course delivery. Their programmes are suitable for professionals aiming to continue career development without interrupting their work schedules.
Lately, I have been spending time on this platform and the overall experience feels surprisingly smooth. Everything stays easy to understand, which makes regular sessions comfortable. Gradually, it has helped improve patience, encouraged consistency, and supported a more focused mindset during daily activities. TC lottery
This game offers a simple way to improve focus and logical reasoning. It encourages users to approach each step carefully and learn from mistakes. The stable performance keeps sessions uninterrupted and comfortable. With regular practice, it helps strengthen concentration and supports a more structured way of handling problems. Yaar Win
This brought me right back to being seven years old in Yokosuka, watching my cousins count their envelopes while I hid mine out of embarrassment. The older I get, the more I understand that quiet adult panic when you realize giving otoshidama means you’re officially the grownup now. For anyone trying to explain this tradition to friends outside Japan, I recently found a cool visual breakdown of the new bill ritual on https://www.gambody.com/ while looking for printable envelope templates, which actually helped me show my husband why we can’t just use wrinkled cash from my purse. The 1000 to 5000 yen range matches what my own family uses, though my aunt always sneaks extra to the little ones when no…
People often gather bits of information gradually when preparing for something new. The topic of cscs card price tends to come up during that process. It fits naturally into the overall checklist. The College of Contract Management is occasionally mentioned alongside it. The explanation feels approachable and realistic. That keeps things manageable. It also helps connect different requirements. Everything starts to make more sense together.