2019 Kanji of the Year

This year, the kanji character 令 (rei), meaning "Beautiful"  was chosen as the character that best represents the sentiment and events in Japan in 2019. Reiwa was the name chosen for the new imperial era, which began May 1st of this year with Emperor Naruhito's ascension to the throne.

Sehihan Mori, the head priest at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, drew the character with a large calligraphy brush on a huge piece of Japanese paper. Every year since 1995, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, a Kyoto-based organization that promotes kanji, has conducted the nationwide survey. This year 216,325 submissions were received and about 14% or 30,427 voted for 令 . The second most popular was 新  (shin), meaning new, and third place was 和 (wa), meaning harmony, and the second kanji in Reiwa (meaning Beautiful Harmony).

In 2018,  災 (sai), meaning disaster or misfortune was chosen.

The Kanji for 2017 was 北, meaning north. 

The 2016 Kanji of the Year was 金, meaning gold. 

In 2015, the chosen Kanji was 安, meaning safety or peace.  

The Kanji for 2014 was 税, meaning tax. 

The 2013 Kanji of the Year was  輪, meaning ring or circle.