Omiyage--art of gift giving

Another highly ritualized practice is the custom of giving gifts when thanking someone for an invitation, visiting someone, and after taking a vacation (souvenir). Gift-giving is something of an art in Japan, where a gift, omiyage in Japanese, successfully given honors the recipient, starting with the quality of the presentation. Gifts are traditionally carried in beautiful printed squares of fabric called furoshiki. When visiting a friend, it is customary to bring food items such as a bakery cake, rice crackers, or beautifully packaged fresh fruit. These mango are fancy gift-giving mangos and cost $150!!!
Fruit is a popular gift in Japan. When visiting a business associate or government official, the omiyage might be tea cups and would be more expensive. When a person goes away on a long trip, associates and friends often give money and in turn, the one who has traveled, brings back presents for all. Giving gifts in the form of money is a common practice in Japan particularly in the case of weddings, funerals, and graduations, etc. Money is usually presented in a special envelope (noshibukuro) tied with a cord.
Before buying an envelope, make sure you know which kind of envelope you should give for the particular occasion. The black envelope for a funeral, for example, would obviously not be appropriate at a wedding. Today, many Japanese have adopted the western practice of giving gifts on birthdays, Christmas etc. and of course chocolates and flowers on Valentine's Day.
When presenting or receiving gifts it is polite to hold the gift in both hands and bow respectfully at the exchange.


I brought the host family I stayed with t-shirts from the high school where I teach and t-shirts from my hometown along with Mississippi snacks (cheese straws, pecans, etc.) and some local pottery which was an ornament in the shape of the state of MS. Since I live in MS but teach in TN, I thought I should represent TN as well in the gift giving, so I picked up some Jack Daniel's whiskey when I arrived in Tokyo. I also took some Elvis pins (his hips even swayed) that I gave to tour guides and other people that went out of their way to help me. Elvis was a huge hit!!