Hey there,
Hope everyone is doing great and staying cool in this hot and humid summer.
I am currently working in japan as a onsite employee for my company.
Am gonna be going home after almost a year and half for my mom’s 60th birthday.I would like to share with her and my family assortment of various sweets.
It would be great if I can know where and what can I buy that is easy to carry back home.
Also, if anyone has any other gifts that I can carry like decorative Fans, Creamic dishes(soup bowl) etc.
Thank you.
TLDR: Assorted sweets for my mom’s 60th birthday.
6 comments
What kinds of things does she or your family like?
The easiest option is going to donki and getting kit kats / pocky of various flavors.
When I travel to the US, a lot of people like the various cookies you see at most omiyage places (matcha cookies, different sweet cheese cookies, etc.). (Often sold at airports or large train stations, especially ones with shinkansen stops)
Department store basements generally have nice souvenirs, but many are perishable so you need to check how long they can last.
I would avoid large ceramic bowls since they break relatively easily in luggage.
Small things like the soy sauce dishes with hidden art (like torii or w/e) are pretty popular.
Japanese knives are always a popular souvenir.
Nicer dashi packets where you can just boil them for a few minutes are nice too, when they are of sufficient quality.
I bought the **和菓子** from Rakuten because it looks very unique but the taste was average. Everyone seems to love it though
Sweets I usually just get from donki or grocery stores. For something more “fancy” then those from department stores are also good. I forget the name of the shop but those round pie shaped sweets? with peanuts on top is what I usually get.
Depending on the store but you can sometimes find interesting plates/ tea cups, handkerchiefs from second hand shops.
Obviously everybody is different but, when I first went to visit my husband’s family in the US, I bought them a nice iron bottle opener, ceramic,etc. They appreciate it, but I guess not as much? Next visit I brought some more common household things. Turns out they’re happy enough with some tenugui, some Japanese beers, and interesting Kitkats and dagashi
I probably wouldn’t trust ceramics in a checked bag, airlines can be pretty rough with them.
Food wise, my family has loved castella cakes when I bring them back (文明堂), also anything fruit flavor like jelly or manju. fwiw the more traditional treats like yokan were very hit or miss…
Take a look at the stuff on the basement of dept stores. There are also boxes of omiyage at airports, but the lines can be crazy so if you go that route get there with enough time to spare.
If you want to go fancy, go to a department store. If you are in Hokkaido or Tokyo, Ryuugetsu or Rokatei are good bets for little cakes and things. Pick up some green tea in a fancy can while you are at it. Goes great with the sweets!
If you want to go cheap, go to a Gyomu Super or discount supermarket and get assorted jellies, senbei, KitKat and Pretz.
I would look at a second hand shop for a like new teapot and cup set. It won’t be heavily discounted, but it will probably be a little cheaper.
The gift shop at Meiji Jingu has an excellent assortment of umbrellas, chopsticks, socks, handkerchiefs and seasonal Japanese items like wind chimes. Well worth a special trip. You can pick up good luck charms, too, at the main shrine.