Japanese farewell traditions
 

Hello,
I am doing some research and am interested in any traditional Japanese farewell activities, rituals or sayings etc. I have tried looking on the net and come up with very little - could anyone help to round out the knowledge?
By the way I am not talking about farewells due to death, just going away.

cheers,

hmm they vary depending on the relationship, a common practice for younger people (even up to college age) is to make a large flat card with names and short messages written as rays coming from a circle as a remember us type thing. farewell dinners and drinking are also popular along with sometimes a small trip, I can't think of much else and I'm not especially knowledgeable about older peoples traditions

Hi there timelesssymphony, thanks for your reply. What does this card look like - the circle with the radiating lines - is it any colour or specific format?
If you don't mind, I would like to put it on my farewell website. Would there be any picture examples of this?
I am interested in sharing through my website the lovely ways that people say good bye to each other in their different cultures. If anyone has further knowledge, I would love to know. I have been to Japan before, and I am sure that there is a lovely ritual or meaningful gesture for farewells, I just have found it hard to research!

cheers,
bek