Job Discussion Forums

Canuck2112 · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 239

I know the topic of gift giving has been covered pretty extensively, but I'd like to know if there are any gifts that you wish you brought after arriving in Japan. Most of the posts I've seen offer the same suggestions: small, tasteful souveniers, regional delicacies, and the like. I'm looking for things that one might not think of right away that would be really appreciated. For instance, a friend of mine who just returned from Japan suggested getting a bunch of baseball cards with Japanese players (like Hideki Irabu) as they're like gold over there to the younger generation. I never would have thought of that. Any similar suggestions?

cheryl · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Japan

ice wine from niagara. Two of the most helpful people i've met here love ice wine and love the niagara region.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Maple syrup. I gave someone a Costco sized 1 litre bottle of it and she almost wet herself from shock. Shocked

bshabu · Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 200 Location: Kumagaya

I know of one that I should have brought sooner. I recently got back form my home town in Northern Michigan and I brought back "cherry butter". It was a hit at my Japanese co-workers. In fact They wanted my to help them order some to have shipped to Japan. My Enchou-sensei ordered five jars.

Note: Cherry Butter is like a spread like vegemite but tastier(cherry with a hint of cinnamon)

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Onether idea is a big bag of flavoured coffee. I gave away lots last year as omiyage and the Japanese loved it. Many Japanese people are big coffee drinkers and interesting coffee is hard to find and extremely expensive.

Dr.J · Joined: 09 May 2003 Posts: 304 Location: usually Japan

Recently, my strategy has been to get nobody nothing (double negative for effect) as I always end up forgetting someone or buying gifts inappropriate to our social relationship or some BS like that. This way no one is offended (because I am a foreigner) and I save money.

uh, I second the coffee.

Celeste · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 1:00 pm Post subject:

Coming from the Pacific coast of Canada, I always bring salmon. I also like to bring junk food oddities for people- odd flavours of potato chips, instant soup and sauce mixes, cookies from superstore, and things in tins that japanese people might not have eaten before. These are friend gifts - for the bosses and other office people I usually get the standard overpriced (yet tastefully overpackaged) airport omiyage maple cookies.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Celeste, we must know the same person. A Japanese person just shared some of those same maple cookies from the Vancouver airport that someone gave them. Must have been you. Wink

They were good.

I bought a Canadian calendar for the office this year (only thing that would fit in my bag). After looking at it, one of them asked me "so why did you come back to Japan"?