Kakizome and New Year Goals in Japanese: How to Talk About Them

Kakizome (書き初め) is the first calligraphy of the New Year, traditionally done on 2 January: you write a word or short phrase that expresses your hopes for the year. To talk about New Year goals, use kotoshi no hōfu (今年の抱負) and three patterns: ~ tai, ~ yō to omotte iru and ~ koto ni shita.

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Kakizome and New Year Goals in Japanese: How to Talk About Them

In early January, Japanese schoolchildren bring home sheets of calligraphy with words like yume, dream, and chōsen, challenge, and adults are asked at work and at family gatherings the same question: kotoshi no hōfu wa? What is your resolution for this year? It is one of the most common conversation openers of the New Year, so it is worth having a good answer. This guide explains kakizome and what people write, then teaches the grammar for goals, from the simple ~ tai, I want to, to the more committed ~ koto ni shita, I have decided to. You will learn the difference between hōfu and mokuhyō, how to make your goals sound modest rather than boastful, how to ask others about theirs, and a mini dialogue to practise.

Kakizome is the year's first calligraphy, traditionally on 2 January

Hōfu is a resolution or aspiration; mokuhyō is a concrete target

~ yō to omotte iru sounds more thoughtful than plain ~ tai

~ koto ni shita means you have decided and committed

Four ways to talk about goals

New Year goal talk starts with a question and runs on three patterns. Each says something slightly different about how sure you are, and choosing the right one is what makes your Japanese sound natural rather than translated.

Four picture cards: asking about this year's resolution, wanting to do something, planning to do something, and having decided to do something.
The New Year question and three patterns for answering it, from a wish to a firm decision.
JapaneseRomajiMeaning
今年の抱負は？Kotoshi no hōfu wa?What's your goal for this year?
試験に受かりたい。Shiken ni ukaritai.I want to pass the exam. (a wish)
毎日走ろうと思う。Mainichi hashirō to omou.I plan to run every day.
お酒をやめることにした。Osake o yameru koto ni shita.I've decided to quit alcohol.

Kakizome: the first writing of the year

Kakizome (書き初め) combines kaku, to write, and the suffix ~zome, the first time doing something in a new year. Traditionally it is done on 2 January. People grind or pour ink, sit straight, and write a word or short phrase with a brush on long paper. Many schools set kakizome as winter holiday homework and display the results in January, so if you have children in a Japanese school you will see it.

In some regions, kakizome sheets and New Year decorations are burned in a bonfire festival in mid-January, often called dondo-yaki or sagichō depending on the area. It is said that if your sheet flies high in the flames, your writing will improve. Customs vary, so ask locally.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
書き初めをしましたか。Kakizome o shimashita ka.Did you do your first calligraphy of the year?
「挑戦」と書きました。"Chōsen" to kakimashita.I wrote challenge.
字が下手で恥ずかしいです。Ji ga heta de hazukashii desu.My handwriting is bad, so I'm embarrassed.
力強い字ですね。Chikarazuyoi ji desu ne.What powerful characters.

Popular kakizome words

Kakizome words are short and positive. Here are some you will often see, and they double as useful vocabulary for talking about goals.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
夢yumedream
希望kibōhope
挑戦chōsenchallenge
笑顔egaosmile
努力doryokueffort
初心shoshina beginner's spirit
一歩前へippo mae eone step forward

Hōfu or mokuhyō?

Both words appear in New Year conversation, and learners often mix them up. Hōfu (抱負) is the bigger, softer word: an aspiration, a resolution, how you want to live this year. It is mostly used at the start of a year or a new role. Mokuhyō (目標) is a concrete target that you can check, and it is used all year round, at work and in study.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
今年の目標は三つあります。Kotoshi no mokuhyō wa mittsu arimasu.I have three goals this year.
新年の抱負を聞かせてください。Shinnen no hōfu o kikasete kudasai.Tell me your New Year resolution.
目標を立てました。Mokuhyō o tatemashita.I've set a goal.
目標を達成しました。Mokuhyō o tassei shimashita.I achieved my goal.
WordFeels likeExample use
抱負 hōfuAspiration, resolutionNew Year speeches, a new job or school year
目標 mokuhyōConcrete, checkable targetPass N3, run 5 km, read 20 books
夢 yumeA big dreamLiving in Japan someday

Three grammar patterns for goals

~ tai (~たい) is a plain wish: shitai, I want to do. It is fine with friends, but in polite speech a bare ~ tai desu can sound a little childish or direct, so people often add to omoimasu: ~ tai to omoimasu.

~ yō to omotte iru (~ようと思っている) uses the volitional form: I am thinking of doing, I intend to. It sounds considered and modest, and it is the most common choice for New Year goals in polite conversation.

~ koto ni shita (~ことにした) means I have decided to. The decision is made, which sounds committed. Compare ~ koto ni natta, it has been decided, for decisions made by others or by circumstances, such as a transfer at work.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
今年は日本語をもっと話したいと思います。Kotoshi wa nihongo o motto hanashitai to omoimasu.This year I'd like to speak more Japanese.
毎朝十分勉強しようと思っています。Maiasa juppun benkyō shiyō to omotte imasu.I'm planning to study ten minutes every morning.
ジムに通うことにしました。Jimu ni kayou koto ni shimashita.I've decided to go to the gym regularly.
四月から大阪に行くことになりました。Shigatsu kara Ōsaka ni iku koto ni narimashita.It's been decided that I'll go to Osaka from April.
今年こそ痩せたい！Kotoshi koso yasetai!This year for sure, I want to lose weight! (casual)

Kotoshi koso, this year for sure, is the classic way to admit you made the same resolution last year. It is self-deprecating and often gets a laugh.

To make a goal sound more concrete, add a reason with ~ kara and a first step with mazu, first: shigoto de tsukaitai kara, mazu mainichi kaiwa no renshū o shimasu, because I want to use it at work, first I will practise conversation every day.

Asking others and reacting

New Year goal talk is a two-way conversation. After you answer, ask back, and react warmly. Japanese people often present their goals modestly, with a little laugh or ichiō, at least for now, so do not tease. Encouragement is the expected response.

Coworkers of different ages and backgrounds chat over cups of tea in an office kitchen with a window of winter sky, one of them counting goals on her fingers.
Back at work in January, everyone is asked about their goals: answer modestly, then ask back.
JapaneseRomajiMeaning
今年の抱負は何ですか。Kotoshi no hōfu wa nan desu ka.What is your resolution for this year?
いいですね。応援しています。Ii desu ne. Ōen shite imasu.That's great. I'm rooting for you.
一応、目標は五キロです。Ichiō, mokuhyō wa go kiro desu.For now, my goal is five kilos.
お互いがんばりましょう。Otagai ganbarimashō.Let's both do our best.

Mini dialogue: the first day back at work

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
あけましておめでとうございます。今年の抱負は？Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu. Kotoshi no hōfu wa?Coworker: Happy New Year. What's your resolution?
日本語能力試験を受けようと思っています。Nihongo nōryoku shiken o ukeyō to omotte imasu.You: I'm planning to take the JLPT.
すごい！準備はもう始めましたか。Sugoi! Junbi wa mō hajimemashita ka.Coworker: Great! Have you started preparing?
はい、毎日三十分勉強することにしました。Hai, mainichi sanjuppun benkyō suru koto ni shimashita.You: Yes, I've decided to study thirty minutes every day.
応援しています。私は今年こそ早起きしたいです。Ōen shite imasu. Watashi wa kotoshi koso hayaoki shitai desu.Coworker: I'm rooting for you. This year I really want to get up early.

Common learner mistakes

  • Using only ~ tai desu in polite speech. Add to omoimasu, or use ~ yō to omotte imasu, to sound more natural.
  • Saying hōfu for every small target. Hōfu is for the big picture; specific targets are mokuhyō.
  • Mixing up koto ni shita and koto ni natta. Shita is your decision; natta is a decision made by others or by circumstances.
  • Listing goals without a first step. Japanese listeners often ask nani kara hajimemasu ka, where will you start? Have an answer with mazu, first.
  • Boasting. A modest frame such as dekireba, if I can, or ichiō, for now, sounds better than a big promise.
Key points

A practical way to improve

Make your New Year goals your speaking practice. First, write three goals using three different patterns from this guide, one with ~ tai, one with ~ yō to omotte imasu and one with ~ koto ni shimashita, then say them aloud. Second, add a reason and a first step to each with ~ kara and mazu. Third, practise asking someone else: kotoshi no hōfu wa nan desu ka, and react to their answer with ii desu ne or ōen shite imasu. Then open Mocchi, Unihongo's study assistant: paste your goals, ask it to check the grammar and naturalness, and ask it to turn your goal of studying Japanese into a personal study plan with daily tasks. When your sentences are polished, say them to AI Sensei, who can play a coworker asking about your resolution.

  1. 1

    Choose one clear goal

    Focus each session on a situation or skill you can actually use.

  2. 2

    Practice actively

    Say complete answers aloud instead of only reading or recognizing Japanese.

  3. 3

    Review and repeat

    Keep useful corrections and revisit the same skill until it feels natural.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is kakizome?

Kakizome (書き初め) is the first calligraphy of the New Year. Traditionally on 2 January, people write an auspicious word or phrase with brush and ink, expressing their hopes for the year. Many schools set it as winter holiday homework, and some regions burn the sheets in a bonfire festival in mid-January.

What is the difference between hōfu and mokuhyō?

Hōfu (抱負) is an aspiration or resolution: what you hope to achieve or how you want to live this year. Mokuhyō (目標) is a concrete target, often measurable, such as passing JLPT N3. People ask kotoshi no hōfu wa? at New Year, and answer with one or more mokuhyō.

How do you say New Year's resolution in Japanese?

The usual expression is shinnen no hōfu (新年の抱負) or kotoshi no hōfu (今年の抱負), this year's resolution. To ask someone, say kotoshi no hōfu wa nan desu ka. A natural answer starts with kotoshi wa, this year, followed by your goal.

What do people write for kakizome?

Common choices are short, positive words or phrases: yume (夢, dream), kibō (希望, hope), chōsen (挑戦, challenge), egao (笑顔, smile), or a four-character set phrase. Children often write words set by their school. Adults usually choose a word that expresses their aim for the year.

Check your New Year goals and turn them into a plan

Write your goals in Japanese and Mocchi, Unihongo's study assistant, will correct them, explain the grammar choices, and build a personal study plan with daily tasks.

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