How to Make Japanese Birthday Cards
Receiving a Japanese-style birthday card is a treat for anyone interested in the culture of Japan. You can personalize the card so it will appeal to someone from any generation. For example, you'll please a traditionalist with a wood-block print or a photo of Mt. Fuji; you can tickle the fancy of a young adult with images from anime (Japanese animation); and you can bring a smile to a youngster with manga art (Japanese comics). You can also decorate cards with your own work, such as calligraphy or photography.
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Things You'll Need
- Card stock made of traditional Japanese paper (called washi)
- Japanese art images downloaded from the Internet
- Calligraphy ink
- Calligraphy brush
- Camera
- Photo paper
Instructions
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Choose the type of Japanese card stock that fits the age and style of your recipient. You can find subtle textures for traditional themes and bright metalics for a more contemporary look.
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Create your own Japanese-themed art for the cover of the cards. If you're a photographer, take pictures of cherry or plum blossoms, download and print them, trim them to size and glue them on. If you're good with your hands, try calligraphy to decorate the cover.
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If you're not artistic, use a free electronic art image. These can range from Ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) to photos of mountains and sketches of shinto shrines. You also can find manga and anime images to download without charge. Print these images directly onto your card stock or for a framed look, print them on computer paper, cut the paper smaller than the card and glue it on.
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Learn how to write "Happy Birthday" in Japanese. Just in case your recipient isn't fluent in Japanese script, you might want to translate the message as well.
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Tips & Warnings
To strike a personal note, write the person's name in katakana, the Japanese alphabet used for foreign words. (See Resources below.)
