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If you are looking for Japanese gifts or souvenirs to give to your friends and family and unsure of what to give as a gift or souvenir from Japan, this article will help you. We've selected some of the best items, ranging from Japanese cuisine and delicious sweets to beautiful traditional crafts, that will make those who receive a gift happy.

>> Japanese Personalities & Culture: Getting Along in Japan

The gifts listed below are made in Japan and all of the suggested gifts are available to purchase online by clicking the image(s). If you would like to learn how to use Amazon Japan in English, please refer to Amazon Japan: How to Shop and Order in English. Moreover, articles on some of the best Japanese electric appliances and beauty gadgets were also featured on other pages.

 

8 Best Japanese Food Souvenirs / Gifts

1. Sea bream shaped Miso Soup

This miso soup has a charming shape of a sea bream (made of monaka) and is filled with spring onions, deep-fried tofu, and fu. Simply add some hot water in a bowl then it turns into delicious miso soup. You can enjoy Red miso, White miso and Mixed miso.

2. Japanese Green Tea (Gyokuro & Extra Fine Sencha)

Set of Gyokuro and extra fine Sencha from Kyoto Rikyuen. Rikyuen has about 400 years history and provides fine green teas.

3. Set of Japanese Sake and Aged Sake 

A set of five bottles of sake aged for up to 38 years. Aged sake color becomes amber or golden, the aroma becomes like wine, and the taste becomes more delicious and profound. If you chill it and taste it in a wine glass, you will experience a new excitement of sake. They are from 1983, 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2007.

4. Set of Japanese Sake (Junmai Daiginjo)

Gold Award winning brewery only. Kaga no tsuki, Kagatobi, Maboroshi no taki, ,Jozen mizuno gotoshi, Echizen misaki. This is an enjoyable comparing sake set.

5. Set of High-Grade Canned Mackerel 

This set of high-grade canned mackerel is produced by "No.38". This set contains flavors of Triple mixed pepper, Chili and garlic, and Spicy rich curry.

6. Ramen and Furikake Gourmet Set

Lobster and Crab Ramen, and Matsuzaka Beef Furikake (dried beef to sprinkle over rice). It is written "Happy Birthday" in Japanese on the box.

7. Natural Dashi Packets

This is Japanese natural additive-free dashi. 100% natural ingredients, easy to use, and healthy. The dashi is from Niboshi (dried sardines), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), yakiago (roasted eel), kombu (kelp), shiitake mushrooms, all natural domestic ingredients are used to make this set of luxurious dashi packets.

8. Matcha Set

This is a lovely six-piece matcha set with matcha made by Hoshinoen. The set contains only the necessary items so that beginners can enjoy Matcha at home right away. The set is packaged in a beautiful cosmetic box, making it ideal for gifts and presents, as well as traditional Japanese souvenirs for foreign people overseas. It comes with a guide on how to make Matcha (in Japanese and English).

Sending Japanese Gifts Abroad

Would you like to send Japanese gifts to your family or friends in home country? Kokoro Care has great ranges of organic foods and ships worldwide from Japan. 

1. DASHI: “Umami” Package

Dashi "Umami" Care Package includes traditional Japanese ingredients for making dashi at home, as well as a comprehensive English guide to dashi, its relationship to umami and "deliciousness," recipes, preservation tips, and more. 

2. Green Tea and Special Tea Package

This package includes traditional green teas, buckwheat tea, black soybean tea and more!

3. Baking Amai Package

"Amai" Package includes an English booklet with 15 full-color recipes to help you recreate sweet and savory treats at home.

4. Japanese Cooking Essentials Package

This package includes everything you need to make delicious Japanese foods in your own home. Each product has its own distinct feature and depth of flavor, inspired by traditional Japanese culinary traditions known as "Wa."

5. Japanese Snacks and Sweets "Raku" Package

"Raku" Package takes its name from the kanji (raku), which means "fun and easy," and features a variety of the best snacks and sweets from Japan. 

6. Japanese Noodles Package

This Noodle package comes with an English booklet, as well as anecdotes about their local growers and their traditions and full-color recipes to help you cook hot and cold noodle dishes at home.

8 Best Tasty Japanese Snacks for Gifting

Selected traditional Japanese sweets as well as western style sweets for foreigners. Click the image(s) to see details and purchase.

1. KitKat (Matcha)

KitKat Matcha has been very popular among foreigners and tourists. There are also many other KitKat flavors such as Strawberries, White Chocolates, and ones that are limited to certain seasons and regions.

2. Shroi Koibito (Langue de Chat)

Milk and White Chocolate Langue de Chat, famous souvenir from Hokkaido.

3. Colorful Daifuku Mochi

Cute colorful Daifuku with chestnuts, mandarins, yogurt, sweet potatoes, muscats, strawberries, peaches etc. This set will be sent frozen.

4. Dorayaki

Chestnuts, Matcha and Sweet Potatoes Dorayaki set. 

5. Anmitsu

Anmitsu (sweet red bean paste) is made with red bean paste (azuki bean paste), dried apricots or other fruits on top of agar cut into a dice shape. It is topped with kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup). This Anmitsu set in the link comes with standard ones and Matcha flavor ones.

6. Shingenmochi

Shingenmochi is popular rice cake snack covered with sweet black syrup and kinako.

7. Baumkuchen (Fruits-kuchen) from Ginza Senbikiya

Senbikiya is a long-established (since 1984) fruit parlor in Ginza. This set of Baumkuchen comes with flavors of Strawberries & Milk, Lemon & Honey, Melon & Milk and Banana & Chocolate.

8. Rice Crackers

Thin baked rice crackers in 6 different flavors (Seaweed, Curry, Japanese Plums etc.). This set comes in a beautiful traditional Japanese box.

8 Made in Japan Luxury Gift Ideas

Here is a collection of luxury traditional Japanese crafts. Whether it's a gift for family, friends, or business associates, these presents would be greatly appreciated.

1. Edo Kiriko Glass

Edo Kiriko began in the Edo period (1603-1868), and was designated as a traditional Japanese craft as a valuable artifact. All pieces are handcrafted one by one by skilled artisans. This glass is created by Taburo Kobo. 

2. High-Grade Beer Glass 

This high-grade beer glass is made from materials that contain silver and copper. You can enjoy chilled beer in the glass with fine and creamy foam. This glass is made by Hayakawa Silver. The set includes gift box, glass itself, and microfiber cloth (for cleaning).

3. Japanese Kitchen Knife (Sakai Takayuki)

This Japanese kitchen knife is made by Sakai Takayuki (A brand of kitchen knives used by professional chefs). This is a top quality product of Sakai Uchihamono, which boasts a market share of more than 90% of the knives used by professional chefs. 

If you are looking for more Japanese kitchen knives, Tower Knives also has great collections of Japanese knives and you can also visit their shops in Tokyo and Osaka.

4. Heat-conducting Spoons for Ice Cream

These heat-conducting aluminum spoons are Made in Tsubame, Niigata where is traditional Japanese sanctuary for metalworking. You can eat ice cream easily even if it is frozen hard.

5. Imabari Face Towels

A set of two Imabari face towels (100% cotto) are made from the finest quality materials.

6. Aritayaki Coffee / Tea Cups

Aritayaki has the long history and tradition of 400 years. This work is a gem of Japanese traditional craftsmanship, produced without any compromise by hand-turning the potter's wheel and using well-honed techniques backed by the long history and tradition of Arita-yaki. When you actually hold it in your hand, you will find that it fits comfortably in your hand and is really a comfortable cup to use. 

7. Mt. Fuji Folding Screen Clock (Yamanaka Lacquerware)

This Yamanaka-nuri (lacquerware) folding screen clock is made in Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture. This gold folding screen clock gives a gorgeous impression.

8. Cloisonne (Shippoyaki) Set of Plate and Pen

A set of cloisonne pen plate and a pen. Cloisonne (Shippoyaki) enamel ware has a long history, originating in ancient Egypt in B.C., and later migrating to Europe. Since then, the techniques have been refined over a long period of time, and today, it has become one of Japan's representative traditional crafts. This set is created by Saikosha.

 

Everything listed above is available to purchase online however, if you would like to go to a store in person, check out this post: 6 Trendy Japanese Retail Stores and One-stop Shops in Tokyo