Gifts are often thought of as a sign of connection and appreciation. No place is that more clear than here in Japan. The culture around gift giving in Japan is very robust, and very unique. For businesses trying to succeed in Japan, it is best to understand the nuances behind the gift culture and the typical user journey for a Japanese shopper.
The Occasion
Souvenirs:
The pillar of gift-giving in Japan are the expectations around giving souvenirs. Businesspersons traveling for work are very likely to pick up something to share with their family, and even their fellow coworkers, upon returning. It can be partially understood as a thank you gift for shouldering the burden of work in the individual’s absence, and a worker would be sure to buy enough to cover their entire department. The souvenirs for others may even take precedence over any memorabilia they would purchase for themselves!
Home visits:
Being invited to one’s home is a great honor, and coming empty handed would disrupt that sense of trust. Bringing something small for the host as a sign of appreciation for the invite is customary.
Valentine’s Day and White Day:
Valentine’s Day works a little differently in Japan than other countries. Instead of being a strict exchange of gifts, it is customary for women to give gifts (usually chocolate) to the men close to them. In return, men reciprocate the gesture a month later on March 14th, the Japanese holiday known as White Day. Chocolate rules both days, milk or dark chocolate on Valentine’s Day and white chocolate on White Day.
Other occasions:
Commemorative events like graduations, weddings, and anniversaries are naturally, excellent moments to congratulate the person for their success and happiness. As for other holidays, while Christmas is big in Japan, the gift exchange part is left behind in childhood, though couples may exchange gifts in private.
Common Items as Gifts
Food
Foodstuffs, especially fruits or produce, are the most common type of gift given for simpler occasions. Japan, as both an agriculturally-based society and island nation, prizes produce for the care taken to grow, and maintain the visual appeal of the literal fruits of labor. Small candies and snacks, individually packaged and sold in sets, are popular choices for economical reasons. When 10+ people are expecting something as a gift, a box of 12 sweets can spread the love evenly.
An additional key advantage of foods is their status as perishables. Trinkets like snow globes or t-shirts last much longer, thus taking up more space. If such a gift was by chance not well received, it cannot be easily discarded. Food, with a set expiration date, expresses appreciation while taking the receiver’s feelings and situation into consideration by not being permanent additions to their household.
Local produce
Connected to Japan’s agrarian roots, the prevalence of souvenirs, and relative ease of domestic travel even without a car, Japan’s prefectures become welcome hotbeds of domestic–and international–visitors. Bringing back a taste of the local fair home with you is a common practice, and every stop along the bullet train is certain to have a souvenir shop with whatever item or cuisine that area is known for. When asking how life is in more rural prefectures, the typical reply from anyone who’s lived there will be “well, the (rice/seafood/fruit/sake) is good.”
Seasonal goods
Japan has a deep connection to the seasons and changing of those seasons. Certain items and certain flavors will be associated with certain times of the year, at a regular pace. A few examples:
- cherry blossom theming in early spring
- fresh eel for August
- chocolate sticks called pocky for Pocky Day (11/11)
- good alcohol that mixes well with hot water for the cold winters.
Giving gifts that suit the season makes it timely and an enjoyable experience for both parties.
Presentation
The appearance of the gift is of great importance in Japanese society. Wrapping the gift keeps the item protected while making it presentable and denoting it as a proper gift. Even when giving gifts of money, it is common to conceal the amount in an envelope so that only the giver and receiver know the contents. Gift wrapping services are available at most Japanese department stores and specialty shops, and many souvenir items and foodstuffs come firmly secured under layers and layers of plastic and paper.
Keeping up good appearances extends to the gift’s contents as well. Returning to the fruit example, the most prized produce not only taste good, but look good. Perfectly sized peaches, green grapes free of any blemish or dirt, watermelons of a deep green hue, specialty fruits like these are handled with utmost care and sold at a markup higher than their “basic” counterparts. If a gift is to be a reflection of feelings, the attention to detail in the wrapping and presentation of a gift conveys the attention a giver has for the recipient.
Online vs. Offline
While it may seem like a lot of commerce has moved online, Japanese people still prefer to shop for gifts in person to be able to check the product’s quality immediately and receive assistance from store clerks as necessary. Having advice or a second opinion on what to buy is valuable to many shoppers, especially those buying for someone of different sex or generation. Nevertheless, strides have been made to improve gifting experiences online and focus on the key advantage e-commerce has over brick and mortar stores, convenience.
To showcase one example, LINE GIFT is an available function on the messaging app, LINE, the most popular messaging app in Japan. This gift feature allows users to easily browse through multiple options of electronic gift cards or full presents and quickly send one to any of their friends on the app. Gift options range from cakes and coffees, to cosmetics, to select cuts of meat. You can even send a cute digital card along with the gift. While the selection does not compare to commercial behemoths like Amazon or Rakuten, or even major department stores, the ease of browsing, selecting, and sending a gift localized all in the same place makes it quick and convenient. As an added bonus, because the gifting transaction is recorded in the app’s chat history, there’s added pressure to reciprocate the kind gesture.
Conclusion
While there are similarities in the reasons behind gift-giving when compared to other cultures, what’s unique about Japan is the emphasis on maintaining relationships through the expression and exchange of gifts. Feelings of reciprocity, and taking the other’s feelings into consideration-not only in the gift’s contents, but its appearance and presentation, form the foundation for what, when, how, and why to give. The care placed into the practice reflects on the strong sentiment shared between two Japanese people.
About the Author
Ross Miller
Ross utilized his background in languages and East Asian cultures to improve academic and business practices across Japan. He recently acquired his MBA in Business Leadership and Innovation, with a focus in systems thinking, design, and social business. A professional “bridge builder” in diversity management, he wishes to utilize those talents as the perfect liaison in international UX research. Though only spending 5 years in the Japanese city of Fukuoka, he’s picked up the habits and accent enough to be mistaken for half-Kyushuan on several occasions.