Formal to Superior
Cultural · Seasonal
今年もお世話になりました。来年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 — Thank you for everything this year. I look forward to your continued support next year. (Cultural · Seasonal, Formal to Superior, JLPT N4)
You
今年もお世話になりました。来年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
ことしもおせわになりました。らいねんもどうぞよろしくおねがいいたします。
Thank you for everything this year. I look forward to your continued support next year.
Romaji: Kotoshi mo osewa ni narimashita. Rainen mo douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. / Reply Romaji: Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
Reply
こちらこそ、よろしくお願いいたします。
こちらこそ、よろしくおねがいいたします。
Likewise, I look forward to working with you next year as well.
Gesture & etiquette
Bow at 30 degrees when saying this to a superior. In business contexts, this may be accompanied by a year-end gift (oseibo). If sending by email or message, a simple formal text with these words maintains the relationship.
This year-end phrase is used from mid-December through December 28. It is obligatory for maintaining professional and social relationships in Japan — skipping it implies the relationship is unimportant. The corresponding new-year phrase is 'Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu.'