1.
Dear Sir/Madam, To Whom It May Concern
A formal salutation used at the beginning of a Japanese letter. It is always paired with the closing salutation 敬具 (けいぐ, "Yours sincerely") at the end of the letter.
Dear Sir/Madam, I trust you are doing well.
A standard formal letter opening combining 拝啓 with a seasonal greeting.
Dear Sir/Madam, as the new year begins, I hope everyone is doing well.
An example with a seasonal reference (時候の挨拶).
拝啓 literally means "humbly stating" (拝 = humbly + 啓 = to state/inform). It is the standard formal opening for Japanese letters and must always be paired with the closing 敬具 ("respectfully concluded").
Format: In a Japanese letter, 拝啓 is followed by a space (full-width) and then a seasonal greeting (時候の挨拶). The body of the letter follows, and the letter ends with 敬具.
Related words
- 謹啓: more formal than 拝啓 (paired with 謹白 or 敬白)
- 前略: "dispensing with formalities" — used when skipping the seasonal greeting (paired with 草々)
Note: 拝啓 is used in formal business letters, official correspondence, and ceremonial writing. It is not used in casual emails or messages.