At the end of each year, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation holds the “Kanji of the Year” event, reviewing major social trends and selecting one kanji to represent the year. The chosen character is then written publicly by the head priest at Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera, becoming an annual symbolic tradition.
2025 Kanji of the Year Revealed: The top character is “熊” (Bear)!
image source：【公式】2025年「今年の漢字」X
1st Place: 熊 (Bear)
This year’s kanji is “熊” (bear), due to frequent bear sightings and related incidents nationwide, even in urban areas. These events affected daily life and the economy, prompting the public to reconsider the balance between humans and nature.
2nd Place: 米 (Rice)
Rice prices have continued rising since last year, with government reserve releases drawing attention to Japan’s rice industry and agriculture. Additionally, the inauguration of U.S. President Trump (米 also refers to the U.S. in Japanese) and tariff disputes had global economic effects.
3rd Place: 高 (High / Rising)
Sanae Takaichi became Prime Minister. Meanwhile, rising prices, rising rice costs, surging gold and Nikkei index levels, and record-breaking high temperatures all made “high” a keyword of the year.
4th Place: 脈 (Pulse)
The Osaka/Kansai Expo mascot “Myaku-Myaku” became widely popular. With cultural exchange from the Expo, Japan’s first female Prime Minister, and rising stock prices, many felt the social “pulse” of change.
5th Place: 万 (Ten thousand)
The Osaka/Kansai Expo gained major attention, and the Nikkei index surpassed the 50,000-yen mark.
Kanji of the Year Chosen by Elementary School Students
Among elementary school students, “熊” ranked second with 534 votes. The top choice was “樂” (joy) with 746 votes. Students said they made friends, visited fun places, and were excited about events like the Expo, making their final year full of happiness.
Full student ranking 👉 click here
2025 Kanji of the Year: Top 10 Results
| Ranking | Kanji | Votes |
| 1 | 熊 | 23,346（12.34％） |
| 2 | 米 | 23,166（12.25％） |
| 3 | 高 | 18,300（9.68％） |
| 4 | 脈 | 6,418（3.39％） |
| 5 | 万 | 5,656（2.99％） |
| 6 | 変 | 5,296（2.80％） |
| 7 | 博 | 5,114（2.70％） |
| 8 | 女 | 3,682（1.95％） |
| 9 | 新 | 3,658（1.93％） |
| 10 | 初 | 3,067（1.62％） |
2025 Ranking 11–20 👉 click here
The announcement of the Kanji of the Year signals the close of another year. It reflects not just voting results, but the nation’s events and emotions. From “bear” to “joy,” each character carries collective memory and invites reflection on coexistence with nature and thoughts about the future.
