Every year began with Happy New Year greetings sent via email and social media. However, we have stopped receiving New Year’s postcards from 2025. Many companies and individuals have stopped sending postcards because postage costs have risen from 63 yen to 85 yen per card. While an extra 20 yen may not seem like much if you’re sending just one or two postcards, it becomes more burdensome when you send a hundred, adding 2,200 yen. Sending New Year’s greetings via email has become a more cost-effective choice.
Japanese calligraphy lessons for beautiful handwriting
While our communication is shifting toward digital, handwriting remains highly valued in Japan. Japanese calligraphy lessons remain popular among both children and adults. I took private calligraphy lessons in elementary school to improve my handwriting. We used thick and thin calligraphy brushes during these lessons to practice writing letters by following the examples. This training helped me improve my penmanship with both pens and pencils, allowing me to balance the grip pressure required for handwriting.
Handwriting conveys non-verbal expressions
The benefits of handwritten letters are manifold. One of the most notable benefits is the positive impression they make on recipients. A crafted handwritten card from our business partners can evoke an instant feel-good response. Even when things go wrong, a handwritten letter can mend a broken relationship. When I had a problem with the book I ordered at a bookstore, I received an apology letter written with a brush the next day. I was so impressed with the sincerity, and my bad feelings for the store were gone,
Appearance of handwriting as a part of your portrait
Handwritten letters serve not just as a means of communication; they also reflect the sender’s personality, providing a personal touch that digital messages often lack. For example, my heart warmed when I received a handwritten comment on a postcard from my friend during my college days. Her hello message reminds me of our college days studying together.
There is a catch about the handwritten letter: the handwriting must be beautiful. Even without ruled lines, beautiful handwriting aligns letters neatly. In contrast, handwritten letters can create negative impressions, suggesting characteristics such as carelessness or unreliability. The appearance of handwritten characters matters.
Handwriting requires effort
Handwriting is not a simple task. Unlike typing on a computer, we cannot rewrite characters with permanent writing tools, including pens. I am always nervous about avoiding errors when I write a handwritten postcard with a pen. One tiny mistake can spoil the sheet.
While some handwritten notes and letters add to our lives, not all are helpful or necessary. Handwritten forms are the most burdensome. The government requires some documents to be handwritten on forms and submitted, and some Japanese banks require handwritten documents to be filled in and submitted.
The effort can be worthwhile
Although time-consuming and effort-intensive, handwritten letters convey deep feelings. Digital technology cannot replace the emotional benefits of handwritten correspondence.