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Gifts for Japanese Families?

bassooner — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:03:46 -0800

What are some good gifts for Japanese families? Also, are there any cultural taboos that I should be particularly sure to avoid breaking while staying in Japan? I'm a twenty-year old male American college student. This summer, my college's band will be doing a tour of Japan and China. The Japan section of the tour involves a number of homestays with Japanese families (either three or four stays). The stays are being arranged through local schools in the cities we're performing in, so our only information about the families are that they'll have at least one child between the ages of 6 and 18. What kinds of gifts should I be bringing to give to the families?

I've done a couple of similar tours in Western Europe, as well as spent a semester studying in Ghana while living with a host family, so I'm fairly comfortable with the guest/host intercultural dynamic. However, I'm not all that familiar with Japanese culture/language. Is there anything I should be especially careful to avoid doing or saying? (e.g., while in Ghana, coming out of the bathroom and then diving into the communal dinner bowl with my left hand).

Help me give a gift, not reduce closet space

dino terror — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:48:49 -0800

I need a gift idea for my late 20's brother living in Japan, but going to be receiving the gift in Toronto. ~$50. MUST be something 'useful'. I refuse to give gifts where the receiver will say 'great, what am I supposed to do with this thing now'. Anything consumable qualifies. Gifts that I consider a burden on the receiver: clothes, decorations, media (ie. books, movies), etc. Unless I happen to know they specifically would have purchased that item for themselves.

Gift for teacher moving to Japan?

pammo — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:58:02 -0800

What is a good gift for someone who will be moving to Japan for four months? My 13 year old son's favorite teacher is leaving for a semester in Japan. We'd like to give him a unique yet inexpensive gift that he will appreciate having use of while he's there.

Other details: he's in his late 20's/early 30's, teaches social studies, and is in law school. He's gone out of his way to be there for my son.

Thanks!

Asia travel ideas for 18 yr old karate lover?

RoadTripPlanner — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 03:48:39 -0800

Can anyone recommend any martial arts learning opportunities (camps, workshops, lessons, etc) in Asia that an 18 year old would enjoy? My nephew in the US is a karate brown belt and he would like to travel to Asia when he graduates from high school this year. I am trying to help him find some interesting travel opportunities which relate to karate. He loves karate and has been searching for something to do in Japan or India for Summer 2008 but we haven't found anything yet. Thanks for any tips.

Japanese stuff that American kids like

QueSeraSera — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 22:27:12 -0800

Calling all kids and kids at heart... what kind of souvenir would you want from Japan? I'm a long term resident of Tokyo and will be going home to attend a family reunion (in California). I will be meeting a few of my young cousins/neices/nephews for the first time and I'd like to get them each a little something that will open their world to something new, plus win them over as the kewlest grownup.

If you were a kid between 10-16, what kind of Japanese stuff would you like?

Here's what I have in mind so far: weird snack items, plastic build-it-yourself model robot kits... (Fireworks are great and I have brought them pre-9/11, but doubt I could get away with hiding them in my luggage now.)

And as for the adults, what Japanese foods and items would non-Japanophiles would enjoy? Sweet beans are deelicious but tend to gross out conservative Americans. Same with anything fishy. What do you like?

PS. "Asian-themed" trinkets, cheesy calligraphy, etc... I refuse to go there!

What was I given recently in a Japanese restaurant?

mendel — Sat, 20 May 2006 22:08:13 -0800

At a local traditional Japanese restaurant a while ago, the server brought a little fabric ball with a bell on a string with our check where you'd usually expect mints. She made it clear that it was for us to take, but we didn't learn anything more about it, and now I'm wondering if there's any symbolism, meaning or tradition behind it. There's a picture and

That's a Canadian quarter for size, same size as an American one. The fabric-covered ball part itself is really more clam-shaped, clasped onto the cord. The little ball above it is a little bell like you'd see on a cat collar.

Can anyone tell me anything more about this little thing?

Useful holiday phrases for Pacific Rim trip

Pericles — Thu, 28 Oct 2004 05:35:20 -0800

Holiday phrase book: As a leaving present for a girl travelling to Fiji, Singapore, Japan, and the Philipines, I want to make a book containing some useful phrases. Anyone help me translate them into the languages, or suggest more phases? (MI) As she's a woman on her own, the "useful" phrases I have are 1) Please feed me beer. (2) You're very handsome, but actually I'm a lesbian. (3) Do you know where there's a toilet? (Urgently) (4) My husband will be here in 10 minutes. He's a champion boxer. (5) I am not American.

Gifts from Japan

codger — Thu, 03 Jun 2004 07:52:41 -0800

What should I have my friend bring back for me from Japan? [mi] I'm trying to come up with about fifty bucks worth of stuff for her to bring back for me (and subsequently ship from the West Coast to Ohio, so bear that in mind) but I'm stymied. What should I ask for? DVDs? A cheap, but fancy Minidisc recorder?