Job Discussion Forums

[helldog]

I'm leaving for Japan next week and have heard that exchanging presents is a big deal over there. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me some american knick knacks that are in demand over there. Thanks.

[PAULH]

[JimDunlop2]

This is also partly cultural, but if you bring anything food-related, for example a box of chocolates, each piece inside the box should be individually wrapped. It's wasteful, but it's a Japanese thing... The reason being, that if you give it to someone in an office or anywhere there may be several people, they will share it amongst each other and will be hesitant to have any unless they are wrapped.

As Paul said, presents are usually exchanged twice a year, and given to those people to whom you owe a debt of gratitude or want to show appreciation. Otherwise, when you travel and return, people like to receive "omiyage" or souvenirs from your trip... But if you are just arriving for the first time, it is not necessary. If you go home for a visit and come back, it's nice to give some small "omiyage" gifts to those with whom you associate closely.

One little cultural nuance which WILL score you points however... You know how back home when you move into a neighbourhood, someone might bring you a pie or the welcome wagon may come around? Well here it is the inverse... It is considered polite to go around and introduce yourself as their new neighbour and present them with a small token (trinkets from home may work well for this). Again, it's not necessary, however.

[Hoser]

[helldog]

Okay, Jim. That sounds fun. What are some trinkets you think my Japanese neighbors would get a kick out of?

[PAULH]

[Glenski]

For your office just bring cookies or small cakes or candies. Even flavored coffee for the whole office (better still would be packages that make a single cup, really big here).
For your neighbors, just go to the nearest department store and buy some hand towels. It's the thought.

[TK4Lakers]

Yes, bringing gifts is somewhat of a big deal here. It actually does not matter at all whether you bring any or not, but it's a nice gesture and will win you more favors.

I moved here in March and brought omiyage (gifts) for my relatives, school principals, Board of Education, and my landlord.

Any gift will pretty much be happily accepted. It doesn't matter if its not individually wrapped, if it's cheap, etc. I brought See's Candy chocolate and nuts. Clothes are popular here too...especially NY Yankees and Seattle Mariner logos. But you can't go wrong with food, especially someting a lot of people can share.

[womblingfree]

Dunno about American gifts but from the UK many of my J-friends go nuts for Fortnum & Masons tea and Neals Yard products. Failing that a box of PG tips is always appreciated, also Marmite is seen as a particularly odd substance. Everyone seems to be big into Beatrix Potter also.

[mrjohndub]

(As usual) I agree with Jim Dunlop2. Anything with lots of wasteful packaging will go over quite well. The more packaging, the better. It doesn't even have to be flavored.

But seriously, I knew I was only working with women and brought some little Crabtree & Evelyn hand cream sh*t and everybody was lovin' it.

Oh...and don't be suckered into buying a gift for anybody picking you up from the airport unless that person has some kind of direct bearing on your management or well-being after that first day. Odds are, they won't and may very well never see you again. Some people try to pull scams with the airport pickup folks. Those people must be swimming in gifts!

[chirp]

When I was traveling in Japan last year, I brought some trillium pins with me, which is the official flower of my home province. These went over really well since the trillium just happens to look a bit like cherry blossoms. It was a very small gift for people who had been especially kind or thoughful and (to my face at least) they were very appreciative of the gesture.

[luckyloser700]

[JimDunlop2]

A dog trained to poop on their lawn, huh? Almost sounds like one of those novelty or gag gifts, doesn't it? Something along the lines of "Canadian Rocky Mountain Air" in a can.... I'd rather not get into that, Paul -- as I already have a big problem with the neighbour's cats ****-ing in MY yard... There's not too many sounds in the world worse than the sound of cats in heat. Many times I've thought of getting out the plastic-ammo BB gun and using them for target practice. Heck, I've even considered leaving out a nice, big dish of car antifreeze for them (cats love that stuff -- then they promptly die)... But I don't want to be cruel either. Besides, one of the little b*stards just had a litter full of kittens and they're too cute -- even though they obstruct the road daily (and they are still too dumb to get out of the way of oncoming traffic, so you must stop your vehicle and physically remove the kittens in order to continue).... I wonder if I could complain to the community association (and if I DID, what could/would get done about it)...

ANYWAY.... I digress....

Honestly, anything will do for the neighbours.... As others have mentioned... Tea would be nice (if you're from the UK perhaps), or a specialty from home. We brought tons of Canadiana -- i.e. flags, pins, stickers, pencils, pens, stuffed beaver beanie baby-type toys, small Inuit soapstone carvings, Native art prints, small containers of maple syrup, etc, etc, etc...

[Gordon]

Jim, I had the same problem with cats. They were going at it right underneath our bedroom window until I filled up a pot of water and dumped it on them. Problem went away.