I will be going to Japan soon, and a family there has graciously let me stay with them for a while before I move into a place with more of a sense of permanence. I will also have two females (early 20’s… I’m thinking maybe around 19-21) helping me with the transition. I am told to bring a gift for the family and the two women, but I cannot, for the life of me, think of what to buy. I’ve consulted my Japanese friends who told me to bring something “American”. They’ve pointed me towards Bath and Body Works products (for females) as an example.
Ok, I know what they mean about getting something giftable that cannot be found in Japan. At the moment, I can’t really think of anything that fits that criteria. A lot of American products are so half assed when it comes to presentation, especially compared to the exquisite Japanese gifts. I currently live in the SF Bay Area, close to San Francisco, if that helps. I’m sure there’s lots of tourist stuff there, but anyone have any specific ideas? What is a good “American” item that is also great as a gift?
I know they’re mad keen on baseball over there, something baseball-y (a sport I know nothing about) might be appreciated. Not sure what you’d take the girls, though!
Food was always a good bet when I was gifting in Tokyo (subject to customs laws, obviously). I brought lots of little jars of Irish whiskey marmalade which seemed to go down well, and a couple of bottles of whiskey for bigger presents. A lot of Japanese women are also into cutesy things like Disney - mobile phone tags or small cuddly toys, for example. Stationery is also quite popular, again cutesy, colourful stuff, and you should be able to get San Francisco specific stuff (I brought over about 50 pencils from our local museum for kids in my class, for example) - maybe an organiser type thing. Coins are also good - those brooches or pins you can get that are made out of a quarter or whatever. Or bags - just a touristy type canvas one with SF on it would be really appreciated I’m sure.
For the family, something like food if you can manage it, or something like a calendar or clock with SF on it. You don’t have to spend loads - they will likely be embarrassed if you do.
Also, if any of the family are learning English (I assume they are), American newspapers and magazines are great - perhaps not as formal gifts, but certainly something they will appreciate. A few glossy fashion type magazines should go down well with the young women. (And if you’re going over to teach, definitely bring some teen/tween magazines - they are great to teach with. Also don’t forget lots of little local things like pencils or stickers to give out as prizes.)
Instead of getting something “American” (which, I think, is really too big a category), can you get them something local, preferably something that your town/city/state/region is known for? For example, if you live in Wisconsin, you’d take them cheese. Or perhaps Sprechers.
Local team merchandise is good - take something with your local sports team emblazoned on it. Are there any good chocolatiers near you? Any perfume houses or cosmetic manufacturer?
One last thought: my husband works with some professionals in China, and when one came over from Shanghai, she was all about going to a department store to pick up some Clinique or Lancome because she thought it would be cheaper. (Didn’t really turn out to be, though - she looked at the prices and declined.)
Local colleges or teams, as above. Also local food specialties–like my area is all about nuts, so I would bring nice flavored almonds and whatnot.
Something else very nice is American handicrafts–nice ones. If you know anyone who quilts, a quilt is a great gift. I have frequently used quilts as “American gifts” and it has always been a great success.
My mother (Japanese) always buys brightly colored household items and stationery at Target - especially the really colorful pens. But those are cheap souvenirs for her students, you probably want something better for a host.
I’d avoid anything that takes a lot of space to store or display. Japanese houses really are small.
Food is always a good choice. But common brand-name packaged foods are risky (like candy bars), because many American brands are available in Japan. Better to go for high quality brands, or better yet, a local specialty (e.g. preserves made from locally grown fruit). See’s Candies seem to be a very popular California souvenir, but possibly too popular.
I don’t think most Japanese are interested in American sport teams, unless it’s one a prominent Japanese player plays for.
T-shirts are not bad, if they’re not too loud. I think they are seen as very American. But I suppose you don’t know the size…
You didn’t mention a price. If it were for a guy, I would go for an original space pen at $50. For women, a small Longaberger basket. They’re a little pricey.
In addition, I might suggest maple sugar candy and 100 percent real maple syrup. We have given those to my wife’s family when we visit, and it was a big hit. Especially when we explained how it came from sugar maple tree sap, and had no other ingredients. You have to tell them how the sap is just boiled down to the syrup or sugar.
As there are no sugar maple trees in Japan (or anywhere other than North America, I believe), that stuff is unique.
Even better than Ghirardelli chocolates would be something from Scharffen Berger chocolate. Or you could get a couple of bottles of good California wines, or perhaps olive oil, but that might be heavy to carry.
One anecdotal data point: I met some Japanese women who, when they visited California, really wanted to go to a Bath and Body works store. They also liked peanut brittle from See’s Candies.
I agree with the other posters to get something representative of your locality. Scharffen Berger chocolate is great (until they stop making them in the area :mad:); you can also try the Bridge Brands Chocolate company (formerly known as the San Francisco Chocolate Factory) at http://bridgebrandschocolate.com/. Bridge Bands has the rights to the “Got Milk” tag line (remember those commercials?) and they have a “Landmark” line that has chocolates in tins or wrappers with San Francisco landmarks (Cable Car, Ferry Building, Palace of Fine Arts, etc.) imprinted on them.
You can’t go wrong with Napa wines, either. (Trivia: Pilots for Japan Airlines–also known as JAL–are trained near the Napa Airport.)
Local foods, definitely. For the Bay Area I’d recommend avocado-blossom honey or local olive oil; both have gone over well as international gifts. Real maple syrup works too.
It’s from Maine, but I think a great, hand-made American candy gift would be a nice box of Goldenrod Salt Water Taffy made a mere ten minutes away from my home, on Short Sands Beach in York Beach, Maine, the Goldenrod has been in existence since 1896, and all Saltwater Taffy has been made there, on site with fresh Atlantic seawater
Be careful with the maple syrup idea. Or, rather, be prepared that they might not have any clue what to do with it. My mom took some local WI maple syrup as a gift on a trip to Russia, and her hosts gladly received it, but were mystified as to what you’d actually do with it. (She did try to explain pancakes and such, but I don’t think she got the idea across with all the language difficulties.)
Eventually, they poured a small portion into shot glasses and drank it. The good part is they loved it, the bad part is I’m afraid they think it’s a common beverage over here. (It didn’t help that that particular brand was packaged in what looked like a small plastic jug, either.)
Thanks! I’m actually going there for post graduate studies. I do want to apply for JET eventually. I’m guessing you’ve done the program before? How did you like it?