Do
- Bring back omiyage from trips: individually wrapped sweets from the place you visited.
- Wrap gifts neatly and hand them over with both hands.
- Say a modest phrase as you give, such as "tsumaranai mono desu ga" ("it is only a small thing").
- Remove price tags, and give a return gift (okaeshi) of about half the value when you receive a celebratory one.
Avoid
- Do not give sets of four or nine. "Shi" sounds like death and "ku" like suffering.
- Do not give cutting items, such as knives or scissors, for celebrations. They suggest cutting ties.
- Do not give potted plants to someone in hospital. They suggest the illness taking root.
Omiyage: souvenirs for coworkers
Omiyage began as charms brought home from pilgrimages. Today, after a trip or holiday, people buy boxes of local sweets or snacks, wrapped one by one so they are easy to share at the office. Every region has its specialities (meibutsu), and stations and airports sell boxed omiyage.
It is not required for a day out, but it is common after a holiday or business trip. If you travel from abroad, small items from your own country make good gifts for your hosts and neighbours.
Visiting a home or an office
When you visit a home, bring a small gift (temiyage), such as sweets, fruit or a drink, costing a few thousand yen. Offer it with both hands at the start, ideally after taking it out of the bag. A gift that is too expensive can embarrass the host. Traditionally the host puts it aside without opening it in front of you.
Wrapping and presentation
Presentation matters. Department stores wrap gifts for free. For formal occasions, a gift has a decorative strip (noshi) and a cord (mizuhiki). A bow knot, which can be untied and tied again, is for happy events that may repeat, such as births. A tight knot (musubi-kiri) is for events that should not be repeated, such as weddings and funerals.
Seasonal gifts and return gifts
Two gift seasons thank people who have helped you, such as a boss, a teacher or relatives: ochūgen in summer, from July to mid-August, and oseibo at year end, in December. Typical gifts are food, drink or gift sets. Department stores take orders and deliver.
When you receive a gift for a wedding, birth or recovery, it is polite to send a return gift (okaeshi), traditionally worth about half the original (hanbun-gaeshi). Parents give children New Year money (otoshidama) in small decorated envelopes.
Good to know
- Department stores and station shops sell ready-made gift sets, wrap them and know the customs.
- Keep it modest. A gift that is too expensive can feel like a burden.
- Keep a few small gifts from your own country for hosts, neighbours and teachers.
- If you receive a gift, take it with both hands and thank the giver. You can open it later unless they suggest otherwise.
Words you will hear
- お土産 omiyage
- souvenir gift
- 手土産 temiyage
- gift brought when visiting
- のし noshi
- decorative gift strip
- 水引 mizuhiki
- decorative gift cord
- お中元 ochūgen
- summer gift
- お歳暮 oseibo
- year-end gift
- お返し okaeshi
- return gift
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See also
General practice. Amounts and customs vary by region and relationship. Customs vary by region, place and family, and they change over time. When in doubt, follow the signs, watch what others do, or ask politely. Being polite and trying matters more than getting every detail right.