Japan Souvenir recommendations

[curiousbynature12]

While my trip has been amazing, I’m currently agonizing on what non-food related souvenirs to bring back for friends and family.

I am currently in the Kyoto/Osaka area and will fly back to the US via Tokyo next week. Please share any recommendations you have on potential souvenir or gift ideas.

[+ nycman]

I am partial to Japanese cast iron cookware…

https://www.akazuki.com/collections/japanese-cast-iron-products

Although lugging it home would be a nightmare. 

A more practical item might be hand painted Japanese calligraphy scrolls….

https://gogonihon.com/en/blog/shodo-japanese-calligraphy/

Or some Japanese tea towels……

https://www.etsy.com/market/japanese_tea_towel

 

[+ Charlie]

I am sitting here looking at an Hiroshige print on the wall that I bought in Kyoto many years ago. Hiroshige was a prolific Japanese artist of the early 19th century, who painted landscapes. My print is 7"x 8" and was an ideal souvenir to bring home, because it weighs nothing and was easy to pack; I had it framed after I got home. Of course, you could probably buy the print more easily online today, but it would just be another piece of art, not something that reminded you of your actual visit to Japan and where you purchased it.

[cany10011]

Tenugui or hand towels are great and easy to carry. There is a cute kiosk outside Kyoto train station where you can buy large format tenugui and have it wrapped in the shape of a purse - would make nice gifts for women/girls in your life. Also, paper goods like origami paper is easy to carry. I lived in Tokyo for 2 years and visited Kyoto monthly for work. I love japanese pottery,  but those would be heavy for you to carry back. For myself, I would buy pottery or something nice from one of Kyoto’s lovely antique stores which are bargain prices now and you can find some lovely 6 panel screens from the Meiji era for relatively good prices. 

But for friends and gag gifts, go to the 100 yen stores or Don Quixote which has lots of interesting gadgets. You can’t go wrong there for novel things found only in japan. 

Prices are pretty much set all over japan, so if you see something, you should buy it. You don’t really need to bargain shop as the prices are fixed. 

[cany10011]

Also, for nice gifts that make an impression, you can also go to Isetan or any store inside Tokyo Midtown (Time and Style is a favorite) for japanese handicrafts (string art, small sake cups, little plates) that are really nice and hard to find outside of Japan.  For cooks in your life (i know you mentioned no food), but dashi broth powder is also very good to buy, is easy to carry, and you can find nice purveyors inside Tokyo Midtown (you can ask your taxi driver to take you to the Ritz Carlton, as it is inside the Tokyo Midtown complex).

 

[kingsley88]

I liked the shop Sou Sou. Its flagship store is in Kyoto and there are some unique fashion items there that are very Japanese like tabi shoes, modernized kimono, yukata, etc.

I also am a fan of the Japanese handfan. Though you can get them for free there with the ads but there are some nicer ones in stores. 

[kingsley88]

For your gay friends, there's a shop in Tokyo Blue Eagle bar where I bought a few handfans for friends back home.

[curiousbynature12]

Thank you all for the recommendations!

I bought some hand fans (P.S. beautiful men over there and at Dragon Men), some tenugui napkins, and some prints.

Next time, I will have to bring a checked bag for more gifts back with me.

 

[Marc in Calif]

4 minutes ago, curiousbynature12 said:

Next time, I will have to bring a checked bag for more gifts back with me.

Or buy a small bag/suitcase there in Japan.

That's what I did on a recent trip to Spain because I'd bought so much stuff! 🛍️

[Danny-Darko]

I've been given throughout the years Sake Sets and nice Sushi and Condiment Sets. Always appreciated the gesture and the Sake Sets looks nice in my china cabinet. And though I rarely eat sushi, when I do, I used the plates and remember the person fondly. Just my 2 Yen!  🍶🥢