Japanese Birthday Wishes

If you are writing a Japanese birthday card, keep it short, kind, and clear. Open with a simple birthday greeting, add one personal line, then close with a wish for a wonderful happy birthday in Japanese. Use romaji so the birthday person can read it easily.

Short Birthday Greetings (Japanese + Romaji + English)

• お誕生日おめでとう — Otanjōbi omedetō — Happy birthday

• お誕生日おめでとうございます — Otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu — Happy birthday (polite)

• ハッピーバースデー — Happī bāsudē — Happy birthday

• すてきな一年になりますように — Suteki na ichinen ni narimasu yō ni — Wishing you a wonderful year

• 幸せが届きますように — Shiawase ga todokimasu yō ni — May happiness reach you

• 健康と幸運を祈っています — Kenkō to kōun o inotte imasu — Wishing you health and good luck

Happy Birthday in Japanese: Casual vs. Polite

• Casual to a close friend: お誕生日おめでとう (Otanjōbi omedetō)

• Polite for coworkers, teachers, clients: お誕生日おめでとうございます (Otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu)

• Text-friendly: おめでとう (Omedetō) + 🎂 if the person uses emojis

• Add a warm wish: すばらしい一年を (Subarashii ichinen o) — Have a wonderful year

Happy Birthday Wishes for Friends

• 最高の誕生日になりますように — Saikō no tanjōbi ni narimasu yō ni — Hope you have the best birthday

• いつもありがとう。すてきな一日を — Itsumo arigatō. Suteki na ichinichi o — Thanks for everything. Have a lovely day

• 今年も一緒にたくさん笑おう — Kotoshi mo issho ni takusan waraō — Let’s share lots of laughs this year

• あなたに幸せがたくさん訪れますように — Anata ni shiawase ga takusan otozuremasu yō ni — May lots of happiness come your way

Happy Birthday Wishes for Family

• 生まれてきてくれてありがとう — Umarete kite kurete arigatō — Thank you for being born

• 元気で明るい一年を過ごしてね — Genki de akarui ichinen o sugoshite ne — Wishing you a healthy, bright year

• 家族みんなでお祝いしよう — Kazoku minna de oiwai shiyō — Let’s celebrate with the whole family

Professional Birthday Greetings in Japanese (Coworkers, Clients)

• ますますのご活躍をお祈りしています — Masumasu no gokatsuyaku o oinori shite imasu — Wishing you continued success

• 充実した一年になりますように — Jūjitsu shita ichinen ni narimasu yō ni — May your year be fulfilling

• 今後ともよろしくお願いいたします — Kongo tomo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu — Thank you for your continued support

Cute or Kawaii Happy Birthday Lines

• いっぱいのケーキと笑顔を — Ippai no kēki to egao o — Wishing you loads of cake and smiles

• 今日の主役はあなた — Kyō no shuyaku wa anata — You’re the star today

• きらきらの一年を — Kirakira no ichinen o — Have a sparkly year

Happy Belated Birthday in Japanese

• 遅れてごめんね。お誕生日おめでとう — Okurete gomen ne. Otanjōbi omedetō — Sorry I’m late. Happy birthday

• お祝いが遅くなりましたが、心からおめでとうございます — Oiwai ga osoku narimashita ga, kokoro kara omedetō gozaimasu — Belated, but heartfelt congratulations

• 素敵な一年になりますように — Suteki na ichinen ni narimasu yō ni — Wishing you a wonderful year

Birthday Captions (Short and Shareable)

• 誕生日パーティー大成功 — Tanjōbi pātī daiseikō — Birthday party win

• ケーキは正義 — Kēki wa seigi — Cake is justice

• 乾杯 — Kanpai — Cheers

• ありがとう、みんな — Arigatō, minna — Thanks, everyone

What to Write on a Japanese Birthday Card

1. Start with a core greeting: お誕生日おめでとう or お誕生日おめでとうございます.

2. Add one personal line about the birthday person, a memory, or plans for a Japanese birthday party or dinner.

3. Close with a wish for a wonderful year, health, and good luck.
   Tip: Using romaji helps readers who are still learning Japanese vocabulary.

Culture Notes: Japanese Birthday Celebrations

• Modern Japanese birthday celebrations often include a small gathering, simple birthday cakes, and photos.

• In professional settings, keep messages polite and compact.

• Gifts are typically modest; a thoughtful card with clear birthday greetings is appreciated.

• If you reference Japanese culture, avoid stereotypes. Mentioning seasonal flowers, favorite foods, or travel plans is safe and warm.

Expanded Phrase Bank (Japanese Birthday Vocabulary)

• 誕生日 — Tanjōbi — Birthday

• お誕生日 — Otanjōbi — Birthday (honorific form)

• プレゼント — Purezento — Present

• 誕生日ケーキ — Tanjōbi kēki — Birthday cake

• 誕生日会 — Tanjōbi kai — Birthday party

• お祝い — Oiwai — Celebration

• 幸運 — Kōun — Good luck

10 More Copy-Ready Birthday Wishes

• 夢がかなう一年になりますように — Yume ga kanau ichinen ni narimasu yō ni — May your dreams come true this year

• これからの冒険に幸運を — Korekara no bōken ni kōun o — Good luck on the adventures ahead

• 今日は思いっきり楽しんでね — Kyō wa omoikkiri tanoshinde ne — Enjoy every minute today

• 新しい出会いとチャンスに恵まれますように — Atarashii deai to chansu ni megumaremasu yō ni — Wishing you new connections and chances

• いつまでもその笑顔で — Itsumademo sono egao de — Keep that beautiful smile

• きょうはあなたの日 — Kyō wa anata no hi — Today is your day

• これからもよろしくね — Korekara mo yoroshiku ne — Looking forward to more good times

• ここから最高の章が始まる — Koko kara saikō no shō ga hajimaru — The best chapter starts now

• 心からおめでとう — Kokoro kara omedetō — Congratulations from the heart

• すばらしい一年を過ごしてね — Subarashii ichinen o sugoshite ne — Have a wonderful year

FAQs

How to wish a happy birthday in Japanese?

Say お誕生日おめでとう (Otanjōbi omedetō) to friends and family. Use お誕生日おめでとうございます (Otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu) in polite or professional contexts.

What to write on a Japanese birthday card?

Open with a greeting, add one personal sentence, and finish with a positive wish like すてきな一年になりますように (Suteki na ichinen ni narimasu yō ni) — Wishing you a wonderful year. Romaji helps if your reader is learning.

What is the best message of happy birthday?

Keep it simple: お誕生日おめでとう。すばらしい一年を (Otanjōbi omedetō. Subarashii ichinen o) — Happy birthday. Have a wonderful year.

What’s the difference between “tanjoubi” and “otanjoubi”?

誕生日 (tanjōbi) means birthday. お誕生日 (otanjōbi) adds the honorific お, which makes it more polite and is common in greetings like お誕生日おめでとうございます. Use otanjōbi for respectful tone in cards and messages.