Yesterday, I attended my company’s year-end party.
昨日は会社の忘年会でした。
Company Year-End Party in Japan
A year-end party, called *Bōnenkai* in Japanese, is a uniquely Japanese gathering held at the end of the year to “forget” the hardships and stresses of the past year.
忘年会（ぼうねんかい）とは、1年の終わりに行われる日本独特の集まりで、仕事や日常の出来事で溜まった疲れや苦労を「忘れる」ための会です。
People enjoy food and drinks together with coworkers, friends, or business partners, while sharing feelings such as “Thank you for your hard work this year” and “Let’s do our best again next year.”
会社の同僚や友人、取引先などと一緒に食事やお酒を楽しみながら、「今年もお疲れさまでした」「来年もよろしくお願いします」という気持ちを共有します。
In Japan, many companies and groups hold these parties in December, making them an important year-end tradition.
日本では12月になると、多くの会社やグループで忘年会が開かれ、年末の大切な行事のひとつとされています。
At my company, we have both department-level year-end parties and a large party for all employees, so December is full of celebrations.
私の会社では、部署ごとの忘年会と全社員が集まる忘年会の両方があるため、12月はパーティだらけです😂
It truly feels like “year-end party season.”
まさに「忘年会シーズン」という感じです。
Dinner Menu
This time, we enjoyed *sukiyaki* and crab hot pot.
今回はすき焼きとカニ鍋です。
It was a luxurious meal, and I couldn’t help feeling excited when the dishes arrived at the table.
ゴージャス✨✨✨
The sweet and savory thinly sliced beef melted in my mouth—it was absolutely delicious!
I’ve written about how to make sukiyaki in this article, so please check it out if you’re interested.
甘辛い薄切りの牛肉が口の中でとろけて、最高に美味しかったです！
すき焼きの作り方については、この記事で書いていますので、良かったら読んでくださいね。
Toast and Atmosphere
At the beginning of the party, the company president gave a short speech.
最初に社長からの挨拶がありました。
After that, everyone raised a glass of beer and said “Kanpai,” which means “cheers.”
ビールで乾杯をします。
This toast is an essential ritual at Japanese parties and marks the official start of the gathering.
この「乾杯」は、日本の宴会では欠かせない大切な儀式です。
I had the chance to talk with colleagues I don’t usually speak with and enjoyed plenty of drinks.
普段話せない同僚とも話をし、たくさん飲みました。
It was lively, warm, and a truly enjoyable way to wrap up the year.
とても賑やかで楽しい時間でした。
