2019 忘年会 (bo-nen-kai) End-of-Year Party!

2019 忘年会 (bo-nen-kai) End-of-Year Party!

December in Japan is bounenkai season, when workplaces and social groups gather for end-of-year parties.

忘年会 (bounenkai, end-of-year party) is one of my favourite Japanese words.

忘 means “forget”, 年 means “year”, and 会 in this context means “party”, so a bounenkai is a “forget-the-year party”. Isn’t that great?

We have a bounenkai at Step Up Japanese too! About half the time I forget it’s a bounenkai and call it a “Christmas Party”, but I think that’s ok.

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First Annual Step Up Japanese Christmas Party

First Annual Step Up Japanese Christmas Party

We went to Goemon -  arguably the home of Brighton's best ramen - at the end of term for a celebratory bowl of noodles. The inaugural Step Up Japanese Christmas party!

I wanted to introduce my students in different classes to each other, and to celebrate what you've all achieved in 2016.

Oh, and to eat ramen. I love ramen.

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