You’re having the time of your life in Japan and want to share the excitement with friends and family back home? Let’s find some amazing souvenirs you can bring back from Japan!
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One of the most exciting parts of traveling is buying unique things from all across the world. Maybe you like to bring presents to your friends and family, surprise your nieces and nephews with odd trinkets, and add more decor to your already colorful home.
Souvenirs are a great way to remember your trip even years later and can even be considered family heirlooms if they’re of good quality. And you won’t find another country quite like Japan to buy beautiful and traditional souvenirs as well as completely insane and weird ones.
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Best Souvenirs to buy in Japan
Unique Regional Souvenirs
Depending on which part of the country you’re traveling to, you might find a very unique selection. For example, if you’re traveling to Okinawa, you’ll find several items that you won’t find elsewhere in mainland Japan. You can buy a Shisa statue to put at your home entrance to protect you against evil spirits. If you like to bring home rare liquors, then you have to try the Okinawan Awamori, made from rice but stronger than sake. As a gift for that friend who can’t have enough mugs and plates, you can get them some Okinawan Glassware, hand-blown, colorful, and often inspired by the sea.
On the other hand, you have a place like Hokkaido, situated more to the North and with a colder climate. There, you can buy Shiroi Koibito, a sweet treat that’s become iconic. They are simple, thin cookies with white chocolate, but the packaged boxes are incredibly elegant and beautiful. There is also the Hokkaido Cheese, which you can select between several kinds, from rich and creamy to blue cheeses.
In a big city like Kyoto, you can buy other kinds of goods. If you like unique decorations and handmade items, you should get kiyomizu-yaki pottery. It’s often used for tea ceremonies, and it’s an incredibly delicate porcelain with soft colors and many patterns. Following the beautiful Japanese patterns, you can also get a furoshiki, which can be a present in itself or used to wrap another present traditionally.
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Edible Souvenirs
Japanese snacks are slowly becoming more common worldwide, and that’s a great way to start trying its culinary diversity. But the reality is that there are so many of them that you won’t find anywhere else outside Japan, and that’s why you should bring some back home!
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Matcha-flavored sweets: While you can find matcha powder in most Asian markets, it’s not the same as trying matcha ice cream or matcha cookies. Japanese people simply love this flavor and keep adding it to all sorts of sweets, even to Kit-Kats!
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Senbei: You’ve probably seen these traditional rice cookies in anime and movies, and they make for great souvenirs. Most are on the savory side, seasoned with ingredients like soy sauce, seaweed, and sesame. But there’s a lot of variety to choose from, and each region has its own variant.
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Mochi: Another famous sweet treat from Japan. You can find these gelatinous rice cakes filled with red bean paste, matcha, or even fruits.
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Sake: You can’t make a list of all edible souvenirs without adding the traditional rice wine. It’s a great gift if you want to impress someone, or you can add it to your personal collection.
Photo by Christian Laborde on Unsplash
Cultural and Traditional Souvenirs
Bringing snacks and drinks is really nice, but some people prefer the kind of souvenirs that last longer, especially if they can be used in day-to-day life or as decoration. So here are some ideas for traditional Japanese souvenirs that will last a lifetime.
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Kimono and Yukata: Traditional clothes are interesting items to bring back home. Kimonos are incredibly beautiful, made with silk and intricate patterns and embroidery. But if you want a more casual version, go for the Yukata. It’s colorful and ideal for the summertime.
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Maneki Neko: A great gift for someone who has a business. These cats are really popular and bring luck and clients.
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Noh and Kabuki masks: If you want a unique decoration for your walls or you’re an avid mask collector, you have to buy these. Both are traditionally used for theater, although the styles and themes are different.
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Daruma Dolls: If you have a goal you want to work hard on, you can buy one of these papier-mache dolls. They come with white eyes. When you set your goal, color one and set it as decoration somewhere visible. Once you’ve reached your goal, you’ve colored the other eye.
Photo by Joshua Olsen on Unsplash
Pop Culture & Anime Souvenirs
If you’ve dreamed of traveling to Japan for many, many years, chances are you’re an otaku. But don’t worry; it’s true that watching anime and reading manga was once a frowned-upon hobby, but now it’s more accepted and celebrated than ever! Here’s what you can buy for the otaku in your life, be it you or a friend.
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Anime figures: This is your opportunity to get the best figurines! In Japan, they’re often half the price as in other countries, and if you go to a second-hand store, you can find incredible and rare figurines at a dime.
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Anime-themed snacks: We all know that they’re using the Pokémon logo just to sell more cookies, but who doesn’t want a Pikachu snack? You can also buy different candies like One Piece gum.
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Manga: Even if you don’t read Japanese, wouldn’t it be nice to have an original manga volume of your favorite franchise?
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Keychains: A great present that’s both cheap and lightweight. If you want to gift it in a unique way, you can buy it at a gacha machine and keep it in the original plastic ball.
Practical and Decorative Souvenirs
Maybe you’ve been reading this souvenir list, and nothing really suits your simple style. If you prefer more useful souvenirs that aren’t as bulky or as flashy, there are many you can choose from.
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Sensu: You’ll really appreciate this one if you’re from a tropical region. Japanese fans are really beautiful but also incredibly durable and useful.
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Chopsticks: It’s great to have your own set of chopsticks at home, and they make for great gifts as well. You can buy really fancy pairs in lacquered wood with gold leaf or even get customized pairs.
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Japanese Tea Set: If you love matcha, then you have to get one of these sets. If you like tea culture, you can try to emulate a tea ceremony at home, it’s a great meditative practice.
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Stationery: Perfect if you have artist friends or someone who’s still going to school. Japanese stationery is beautiful and famous worldwide for its quality. Add some decorative washi tape and stickers for good measure.
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Unexpected and Quirky Souvenirs
As much as Japan is famous for its sophisticated and beautiful products, there’s also quite a market for the strange items. From weird commercials to weird products, Japanese people are often a bit incomprehensible, but it can be fun to bring some silly souvenirs.
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Fake food replicas: Why do they exist? No one knows, really, but you can buy a hyper-realistic sushi magnet or a ramen keychain. There are even classes to learn to make your own.
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Omamori for odd purposes: These good luck charms are a very old tradition, and you can find the regular and expected ones for love, prosperity, etc. But there are charms for succeeding in video games, getting better for hangovers, and warding off bad Wi-Fi.
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Face Pack Sheet Masks: These sound innocuous and pretty normal. But they’re not your common face masks; with these, you can be a samurai! Or a kabuki actor, a panda, and Hello Kitty.
Where to Buy the Best Souvenirs in Japan
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Major Department Stores: Good for most of the souvenirs on this list. Depending on the region, the variety changes, but you can find a lot of interesting options there.
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100 Yen Shops: Perfect if you’re trying to stay on a budget or are looking for more modest gifts. Like, if you want to give a small gesture to your coworkers and buying in bulk is more logical. The more well-known brands you can visit are Daiso, Seria, and Can Do.
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Souvenir Shops at Airports and Train Stations: If you’re looking for regional snacks, they’re a great option to find them more quickly.
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Traditional Craft Stores: These are great if you’re looking for a high-quality souvenir that’s going to be a gift for someone special. It’s also a nice way to admire more of the traditional Japanese arts.
Photo by Patricia Haller-Anguela on Unsplash
Tips on Packing and Transporting Fragile Souvenirs
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Don’t leave gaps: Use the right materials, and try to fill the gaps with crumpled paper or foam peanuts. You should also use bubble wrap reinforced with foam sheets to protect each piece.
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Separate fragile pieces: If you bought a tea set, for example, you have to wrap each piece separately, and it’s a good idea to use cardboard dividers.
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Use your hand luggage: If there’s a certain item that you’re terrified is going to be handled without care, you can wrap it in soft cloth and keep it in your hand luggage.