GIVING CULTURE – Wedding Goshugi ご祝儀

In Japan, we have culture to give money for celebration.

It is called お祝いOiwai.

For example weddings, buying homes, giving birth, entering elementary school/high school/university, turning 20 years old, starting to work.

Oiwai for weddings are given to the bride and groom from the people invited to the wedding.

The others are mainly from relatives and not friends.

And Oiwai for weddings are called Goshugi ご祝儀

When you are invited to a wedding, you have to bring Goshugi with you. 

You put the money into the Goshugi envelope ご祝儀袋

It is available at convenience stores, 100yen shops, KIOSK at stations, super markets, stationery stores etc...

The average amount of Goshugi is said as below.  It is not a rule, but just a data for reference.

Relation with bride and groom / guest age 20s / guest age 30s / guest age 40s

Friends / JPY20000-30000 / JPY30000-50000 / JPY30000-50000

Cousins / JPY20000-30000 / JPY30000-50000 / JPY50000-100000

Nephew,Niece / NA / JPY30000-50000 / JPY50000-100000

Brothers, Sisters / JPY30000-50000 / JPY 30000-50000 / JPY50000-100000

Boss / JPY30000-50000 / JPY30000-50000 / JPY50000 or more

Colleagues / JPY20000-30000 / JPY30000 / JPY30000

Subordinate / JPY20000-30000 / JPY20000-30000 / JPY30000

Client at business / JPY30000 / JPY30000 / JPY30000-50000

 

KANJI – blue spring

When I was in Australia, I once saw an old lady wearing a t-shirt with big KANJI(Japanese character) on it.

It was so funny because it said 青春(sei shun).

The meaning of 青(ao/sei) is blue, and 春（haru/shun) is spring.

青春(seishun) means the spring time of life, or in other words youth.

I told the meaning to the lady then she was laughing and said she never knew the meaning .  She was just wearing it because her son bought it from Japan as a souvenir.  And said to me never to tell anyone else in this town of what it meant.