Kotoshi no Kanji (Kanji of the Year) and Kanji Day

The kanji of the year (今年の漢字 Kotoshi no Kanji) is a Japanese character chosen by the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society (財団法人日本漢字能力検定協会 Zaidan hōjin Nihon Kanji Nōryoku kentei kyōkai) through a national ballot in Japan, starting in 1995.

The character with the most votes, selected to represent the events of that year, is announced in a ceremony on December 12 (Kanji Day) at Kiyomizu Temple.

1995

「震 shin」 (quake)

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and growing feelings of unease caused by the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway.

2012

「金 kin」 (gold)

Several medals are won at the 2012 London Olympics, Shinya Yamanaka wins a Nobel Prize, and a solar eclipse is observed for the first time in Japan in 932 years, amid concerns such as consumption tax and welfare ("金" is also the first kanji to be selected more than once).

Read the complete list of selected kanji.