Saying Farewell in Japanese: A Simple Japanese Goodbye Speech to Your School

Here’s a speech to use when saying goodbye to your school in Japanese.  It is a simple and respectful speech that expresses your gratitude while not getting too sappy.  Feel free to borrow from it!

(Translation at the bottom)

皆さん、おはようございます。いつも________(School name)に来るのを楽しみにしていました。________(School name)のみなさんいつも明るく元気いっぱいで迎えてくれました。面白い経験と日本の生活は一生忘れません。特に英語の先生方には大変お世話になりました。生徒の皆さん、これからも、英語を楽しんで勉強して下さい。校長先生、教頭先生、そして先生方、___(number of years)年間大変お世話になりました。どうもありがとうございました。

(ひらがな)

みなさん、おはようございます。
いつも________ にくるのをたのしみにしていました。________のみなさん、いつもあかるくげんきいっぱいでむかえてくれました。おもしろいけいけんとにほんのせいかついっしょうわすれません。とくにえいごのせんせいがたにはたいへんおせわになりました。せいとのみなさん、これからもえいごをたのしんでべんきょうしてください。こうちょうせんせい、きょうとせんせい、そしてせんせいがた、___ねんかんたいへんおせわになりました。どうもありがとうございました。

(English)

Good morning everyone.
I have always had such a fun time coming to this school.  You all always greet me with a lot of energy.  I will never forget my interesting experiences and my life in Japan.  Thank you especially to the English teachers for looking after me.  To all the students, please continue to study English.  To the principal, vice-principal and all the other teachers, thank you for your help and support over the past ___ year(s).  Thank you very much!

Saying Goodbye the Japanese Way

Over the next few days and weeks I’ll be coming across the last of many things.  There will be last classes, the last time visiting the three schools I work at, a last time in Motoyoshi, one last surf, my last calligraphy lesson, the last time driving my fantastic Honda Civic, and countless others.  It’s a very sad time because after all that I’ve done and experienced, it is coming to an end.  Will I come back to Motoyoshi?  Of course I will, someday.  But that could be in a year, or it could be in twenty years.  Things will be different then.  The time has come to say goodbye to what has been my life, my world for the past three years, and look forward to the next chapter in my life.  But I can’t just say goodbye anyway I please- showing respect is of utmost importance.  And in Japan that means giving lots of speeches, gifts, and having a few formal farewell drinking parties.

The Speeches

There are going to be many speeches.  Two speeches are given at each school; one to the entire student body and one in the staffroom to all of your colleagues.  There is also a speech for the people in charge of you at the board of education.  There is a farewell party with each school and most of your social circles, which all require a speech.  So why not just use the same speech?  While it might be tempting to try to use the same speech over and over, there are several reasons why this is not a good idea.  Different speeches, using varying levels of polite language will convey different (but very important) levels of respect.  You’re not going to want to come off sounding stiff and formal in front of a room full of junior high students, the same way you don’t want to sound like you’re talking with your best friend when addressing your school principal.

The Gifts

It wouldn’t be Japan without some sort of gift-giving taking place.  When you go on a trip it is standard to bring back a little gift for your co-workers.  The gifts say I’m sorry for inconveniencing you with the time I took off of work.  Leaving the workplace is no different.  It is proper decorum to bring a little gift for your colleagues. Sweets and snacks are the best for this purpose.  There are packages of sweets specifically made for these occasions and they are available anywhere throughout the country.

There are also the non-obligatory gifts that you want to give to those who you have gotten close to or those who have really helped you out a lot.  People like your supervisor, landlord, English teachers who you’ve worked directly with on a daily basis, and students you’ve gotten to know well.  A picture with a short message is a good idea.  A handwritten letter is also fitting for those who’ve helped you out a bit more.

The Enkais

An enkai is a Japanese drinking party.  There are several occasions where it is standard practice to have one of these, including when saying farewell to a colleague or friend.  This type of enkai is called a soubetsukai.  There will be a soubetsukai with probably every social circle you are a part of in Japan.  There is an soubetsukai with each school staff room, your board of education, past co-workers, other foreign assistant language teachers, and any sports or hobby groups you have been a part of.  What happens at these parties?  You sit at the head of the table and are roasted in Japanese.  Not really.  Actually you have a nice dinner, people thank you for being around and all you’ve done.  They’ll give you a little going away present (hopefully something that will fit in your luggage to take home), and then you’ll give your speech.  All the while people are drinking, often heavily to make use of the dinner’s two-hour nomihodai (all-you-can-drink).  In the end it turns out to be a relaxed and fun night, a great way to say goodbye the Japanese way.