Small, culturally appropriate Japanese gifts for Japanese people?
June 21, 2009 8:24 PM Subscribe
What are appropriate smalls gifts from Japan, for Japanese acquaintances in the U.S.A.?
Hi folks, I am heading to Japan in about two weeks. I have been studying Japanese here on my own for about three months, and through that I've gotten to know...not deeply, but enough to feel a connection with...some Japanese folks who I see on a semi-regular basis.
Since I am going to Tokyo soon, I'd love to bring back some small gifts to show them my appreciation for all the help they've given me in learning the language so far. I don't want to give them anything that would be weird or awkward or overstated, but I'd love to show my appreciation somehow for what I view is some serious patience and kindness on their part. Also, perhaps presumptuously, I assume there may be something in Japan that is hard for them to get here that I could give them that may fit the bill. What would be appropriate?
If it matters, this collection of people includes 1) one--older middle-aged male--sushi chef who I've interacted with somewhat and whose restaurant I've patronized many, many times, 2) the mid/late twenties female waitress of aforementioned restaurant who I've interacted with more (she's actually written out sets of vocabulary for me on multiple occasions!), 3) my 2-months-new-to-the-U.S. language exchange partner (mid-twenties/early-thirties male), 4) my Japanese/American tutor (mid-twenties, I think). Acquaintance #4 is half-Japanese, half-American, so--he "gets" it from both sides...maybe doesn't matter as much to him, but I believe he'd appreciate it if I gave him something that showed I was sensitive to his "Japanese half."
Anyways, if you can, let me know if this is a crazy/foolish/silly idea, or not, and thank you for any advice you can give!
Hi folks, I am heading to Japan in about two weeks. I have been studying Japanese here on my own for about three months, and through that I've gotten to know...not deeply, but enough to feel a connection with...some Japanese folks who I see on a semi-regular basis.
Since I am going to Tokyo soon, I'd love to bring back some small gifts to show them my appreciation for all the help they've given me in learning the language so far. I don't want to give them anything that would be weird or awkward or overstated, but I'd love to show my appreciation somehow for what I view is some serious patience and kindness on their part. Also, perhaps presumptuously, I assume there may be something in Japan that is hard for them to get here that I could give them that may fit the bill. What would be appropriate?
If it matters, this collection of people includes 1) one--older middle-aged male--sushi chef who I've interacted with somewhat and whose restaurant I've patronized many, many times, 2) the mid/late twenties female waitress of aforementioned restaurant who I've interacted with more (she's actually written out sets of vocabulary for me on multiple occasions!), 3) my 2-months-new-to-the-U.S. language exchange partner (mid-twenties/early-thirties male), 4) my Japanese/American tutor (mid-twenties, I think). Acquaintance #4 is half-Japanese, half-American, so--he "gets" it from both sides...maybe doesn't matter as much to him, but I believe he'd appreciate it if I gave him something that showed I was sensitive to his "Japanese half."
Anyways, if you can, let me know if this is a crazy/foolish/silly idea, or not, and thank you for any advice you can give!
Since I am going to Tokyo soon
You could poke around the nine floors of the Itoya 本店 in Ginza, and/or visit a Muji or Tokyu Hands. Lots of stuff in these primo stores that you can't get in the states.
Actually, Akihabara might be your best bet. I'd kill for one of those bath-level alarms that warns you when the bath is full. They don't make those here but Akihabara is chock-full of stores selling these oddball appliances.
If you're really adventurous you could try a Don Quijote. I never worked up the courage to enter one but from what I gather they're like Walmart on meth.
posted by @troy at 8:38 PM on June 21, 2009
You could poke around the nine floors of the Itoya 本店 in Ginza, and/or visit a Muji or Tokyu Hands. Lots of stuff in these primo stores that you can't get in the states.
Actually, Akihabara might be your best bet. I'd kill for one of those bath-level alarms that warns you when the bath is full. They don't make those here but Akihabara is chock-full of stores selling these oddball appliances.
If you're really adventurous you could try a Don Quijote. I never worked up the courage to enter one but from what I gather they're like Walmart on meth.
posted by @troy at 8:38 PM on June 21, 2009
One thing I wish I'd purchased tons of are weirdo cell-phone charms. I found some crazy ones in Akihabara and only got one for myself. Total regret. They're small, and everyone has a cell phone.
posted by crinklebat at 8:40 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by crinklebat at 8:40 PM on June 21, 2009
If you want to go the typical omiyage route, what I get when my Japanese co-workers go to Tokyo are snacks. Specifically Tokyo Banana or Goma Tamago.
posted by emmling at 9:34 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by emmling at 9:34 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
2nding the Tokyo Banana recommendation or any other regional specialty snack. For example, Kamakura has hato sabure and in Kyoto, it's yatsuhashi. Here's a list of famous regional foods (meibutsu) so if you go anywhere outside of Tokyo, you can find the associated gift food. You can usually find nicely wrapped gift boxes in most train stations. The omiyage would be appropriate for anyone. It would be easier than getting a different personal gift for each person because you might be unsure of what they actually miss or want from Japan.
I'm sure they would love Tokyo Banana (not the cream filled kind, you want the dry kind!) and would think it was thoughtful that you brought them back souvenirs.
posted by Arbac at 9:57 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm sure they would love Tokyo Banana (not the cream filled kind, you want the dry kind!) and would think it was thoughtful that you brought them back souvenirs.
posted by Arbac at 9:57 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Monks at almost every shrine and temple sell small good luck charms. They vary from all-purpose luck, to Charms for Traffic Safety, to charms specifically for mothers and fathers.
posted by falconred at 10:03 PM on June 21, 2009
posted by falconred at 10:03 PM on June 21, 2009
Nthing the snack route.
The trick is to bring back something that is not personal (charm), potentially weird (some sort of jokey item, like plastic food) or even expensive. In the last case, as a rule of thumb, when you receive a gift in Japan it's always polite to return the favour by giving back a gift worth half as much. So, if someone gave you a bottle of sake worth 2500 yen, you would return the favour at some point by giving them something worth 1200 yen - some hand towels or soap (giving soap or towels is not strange at all in this situation).
I would recommend buying snacks that cost no more than 1500 yen. That way, the repayment of this gift "debt" by half will not be too difficult.
My personal recommendation would be sembai (rice crackers) from Asakusa or the Kaminari-Mon. However, a big novelty box of Pretz is always pretty cool.
In Japan it really is the thought that counts more than anything else. When my wife and I ran a small school in rural Japan, we used to receive gifts in early summer and mid-winter from our students. We always seemed to get a lot of canned ham, cooking oil, laundry detergent, bath soap and hand towels. We also got 50kg bags of local organic rice.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:40 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
The trick is to bring back something that is not personal (charm), potentially weird (some sort of jokey item, like plastic food) or even expensive. In the last case, as a rule of thumb, when you receive a gift in Japan it's always polite to return the favour by giving back a gift worth half as much. So, if someone gave you a bottle of sake worth 2500 yen, you would return the favour at some point by giving them something worth 1200 yen - some hand towels or soap (giving soap or towels is not strange at all in this situation).
I would recommend buying snacks that cost no more than 1500 yen. That way, the repayment of this gift "debt" by half will not be too difficult.
My personal recommendation would be sembai (rice crackers) from Asakusa or the Kaminari-Mon. However, a big novelty box of Pretz is always pretty cool.
In Japan it really is the thought that counts more than anything else. When my wife and I ran a small school in rural Japan, we used to receive gifts in early summer and mid-winter from our students. We always seemed to get a lot of canned ham, cooking oil, laundry detergent, bath soap and hand towels. We also got 50kg bags of local organic rice.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:40 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Nthing snacks. Honestly. You might feel like the cad, but go to 7-11 (and Family Mart and am-pm and Lawson) and buy candy. Those matcha Kit-Kats are great and impossible to get outside Asia. Any pretty much anything else that looks good.
Then go to Tokyo Hands (probably the one in Shinjuku, right next to the station would be best) and pick up a handful of random phone charms.
For older people check out some of the stationary stores in Ginza. (Sorry no names come to me at the moment.)
If you know what interested they have you might grab a couple random magazines on the subject from the ubiquitous magazine stands. (Or ask if they read a specific one.)
As KokuRyu said, it really is the thought that counts. These are affordable, don't take up much space, and I've never gone wrong with them as gifts.
Go to your local Asian market before you go so you don't buy something that's easy enough to get here. (Like Pocky-G or whatever.)
Don Quixote is a wonderland of madness, but it's cheap crap. That's where you buy your toothpaste, a comfortable pillow, and your novelty gifts for your American friends.
posted by Ookseer at 11:44 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Then go to Tokyo Hands (probably the one in Shinjuku, right next to the station would be best) and pick up a handful of random phone charms.
For older people check out some of the stationary stores in Ginza. (Sorry no names come to me at the moment.)
If you know what interested they have you might grab a couple random magazines on the subject from the ubiquitous magazine stands. (Or ask if they read a specific one.)
As KokuRyu said, it really is the thought that counts. These are affordable, don't take up much space, and I've never gone wrong with them as gifts.
Go to your local Asian market before you go so you don't buy something that's easy enough to get here. (Like Pocky-G or whatever.)
Don Quixote is a wonderland of madness, but it's cheap crap. That's where you buy your toothpaste, a comfortable pillow, and your novelty gifts for your American friends.
posted by Ookseer at 11:44 PM on June 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
If you can, maybe find out where in Japan they're from. In Tokyo, there are a good number of stores that are essentially tourism promotion kiosks for the different prefectures in Japan (there's one across from the south gate of Shinjuku station, by the Starbucks on the boardwalk like thing, I believe they promote Hiroshima). These usually sell specialty snacks and food from that region. Banana Monju are a good all purpose "I went to Tokyo" gift, but if you know where they're from, and you can track down a specialty store, that might be even more well received.
Other than that, flavored chocolate can be good, but do be aware that most standard brands are available in American Asian food markets. Sembei can be a good gift, but be warned, it's exceeding fragile when it comes to suitcases.
Kokuryu is right though, don't get anything too expensive. You'll essentially be obligating your friends to return the favor. Something small, something light, something that says "Hey, here's a little bit of home, thanks for helping me so much!"
posted by Ghidorah at 1:19 AM on June 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
Other than that, flavored chocolate can be good, but do be aware that most standard brands are available in American Asian food markets. Sembei can be a good gift, but be warned, it's exceeding fragile when it comes to suitcases.
Kokuryu is right though, don't get anything too expensive. You'll essentially be obligating your friends to return the favor. Something small, something light, something that says "Hey, here's a little bit of home, thanks for helping me so much!"
posted by Ghidorah at 1:19 AM on June 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
Happi Coats. (Festival coats). They cost less that $20.00, pack easily, and can be used as bathrobes, cooking jackets, lounging around the pool, and at kite festivals.
posted by Gungho at 6:06 AM on June 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Gungho at 6:06 AM on June 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Wonderful! Thank you everyone so far. I especially appreciate this sort of information:
KokoRyu: In the last case, as a rule of thumb, when you receive a gift in Japan it's always polite to return the favour by giving back a gift worth half as much.
and
Ghidorah: Kokuryu is right though, don't get anything too expensive. You'll essentially be obligating your friends to return the favor. Something small, something light, something that says "Hey, here's a little bit of home, thanks for helping me so much!"
It's very helpful for me to understand what the proper protocol is here--I know what to get my buddies and acquaintances who are American so that it is appropriately culturally loaded, but not so much my Japanese acquaintances. Of course, I'm sure those folks I know here are going to be pretty familiar with how Americans work, but it seems nice to try to give gifts using proper 型 (かた) if I can.
As far as where these Japanese are from, I couldn't tell you except for my language partner who is from Chiba. I probably won't be able to find this out either before I leave, alas...
Thanks for all the great suggestions!
posted by dubitable at 9:46 AM on June 22, 2009
KokoRyu: In the last case, as a rule of thumb, when you receive a gift in Japan it's always polite to return the favour by giving back a gift worth half as much.
and
Ghidorah: Kokuryu is right though, don't get anything too expensive. You'll essentially be obligating your friends to return the favor. Something small, something light, something that says "Hey, here's a little bit of home, thanks for helping me so much!"
It's very helpful for me to understand what the proper protocol is here--I know what to get my buddies and acquaintances who are American so that it is appropriately culturally loaded, but not so much my Japanese acquaintances. Of course, I'm sure those folks I know here are going to be pretty familiar with how Americans work, but it seems nice to try to give gifts using proper 型 (かた) if I can.
As far as where these Japanese are from, I couldn't tell you except for my language partner who is from Chiba. I probably won't be able to find this out either before I leave, alas...
Thanks for all the great suggestions!
posted by dubitable at 9:46 AM on June 22, 2009
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Yeah, that would be:
"What are appropriate small gifts from Japan, for Japanese acquaintances in the U.S.A.?"
Whoops.
posted by dubitable at 8:26 PM on June 21, 2009