Japanese souvenirs: the best things to bring home, gifts for coworkers, cheap and traditional ideas, and where to buy them

What is omiyage?

Omiyage is the Japanese word for a souvenir you bring back to give away. JNTO, Japan's national tourism organisation, sums up the custom: "In Japan every trip has to end with buying souvenirs (often edible) which are called 'omiyage' and later on handed out to family, friends, and co-workers." It is not only for holidays abroad. "When travelling even between cities within Japan, you can often find beautifully packed boxes of crackers and local sweets which are really popular souvenirs."

Three things follow from this, and all of them make life easy for visitors:

• Souvenirs are made to be given. Sweets and snacks come in neat boxes sized for sharing, and the shops around stations and sights sell them all day.
• Every region has its own. JNTO notes that Japan is famous for countless kinds of omiyage from its different prefectures, so the best souvenir is often one from the place you are standing in.
• Presentation matters. "In Japan the presentation of a gift is often more important than the contents themselves and shows the care that has been put into it." Most shops in tourist areas will wrap a gift for free or for a small charge.

The best Japanese souvenirs

These are the souvenirs that come up again and again in the advice of JNTO and GO TOKYO, Tokyo's official tourism guide, with what each one is good for and where to look. Prices change from shop to shop, so this guide only gives a price where the tourist boards do.

Snacks and sweets are by far the most popular choice: the Japan Tourism Agency's survey of departing visitors found that 72.7% of them bought snacks and sweets in 2025. Our guide to Japanese snacks covers the brands to look for, the regional and seasonal editions, and how long boxed sweets keep. For the full shopping list, from clothes to electronics, see our guide to what to buy in Japan.

Souvenirs for coworkers and the office

Bringing something back for the office is normal in Japan, and the habit travels well. The classic choice is a box of sweets or crackers from the region you visited, opened in the office kitchen or passed round a meeting. A few tips:

• Count heads. Choose a box in which each piece is wrapped on its own, with at least one piece for everyone in the team.
• Check the date. Some fresh sweets keep only a few days, so JNTO's advice in Osaka is to buy them on the day you leave. If you are shopping early in the trip, read the best-before date on the box, or choose tea or something that isn't food.
• Buy on the way out. Big stations and airports have rows of souvenir shops. GO TOKYO's advice at Haneda Airport: "Don't forget to pick something up, especially if you are visiting friends or colleagues in Japan."
• Think about customs at home. If your country is strict about food, see what it allows in our guide to what to buy in Japan, or choose stationery or tenugui instead.

If you are visiting a Japanese office or a Japanese host, how you give the gift matters as much as the gift itself. The section on giving omiyage further down explains the etiquette.

Cheap Japanese souvenirs

Good souvenirs do not have to cost much. GO TOKYO promises "unique, high-quality products to suit every budget." These are the best places and things for a small budget.

• 100-yen shops. Chains where most stationery, kitchen gadgets, snacks and household goods cost 100 yen plus tax. JNTO: "The 100 Yen shops are great for all kinds of Japanese souvenirs, from chopstick holders to weird snack food (squid chips anyone?)." There are 300-yen shops too, and JNTO's tourist information centre in Tokyo publishes a list of 100-yen and 300-yen shops near the main stations. On Takeshita Street in Harajuku, JNTO points to a big 100-yen shop selling everything from plastic sushi to sheet masks.
• Tenugui. These cotton cloths are "relatively inexpensive when compared to other Japanese souvenirs (ranging from about several hundred yen to 2,000 yen)", says JNTO.
• Stationery. Pens, notebooks and washi tape weigh almost nothing. JNTO: "With many items available at accessible prices, this balance of quality, variety, and playful design makes Japanese stationery appealing for everyday use and as souvenirs."
• Snacks. GO TOKYO sends snack hunters to convenience stores and to dagashiya, old-fashioned shops full of cheap sweets, and notes that "Tokyo's snacks and sweets come in many shapes and flavors, including seasonal exclusives."
• Drugstores. GO TOKYO again: "Don't underestimate brands commonly found in drugstores—they may be budget-friendly, but they don't skimp on quality."
• Ameyoko. In this market street next to Ueno Station, JNTO says "you can find bargains on almost everything", and you can watch a vendor at work "selling bags of chocolate candies for 1,000 yen".
• Kappabashi ceramics. JNTO's page on Tokyo's kitchenware district points to "surprisingly affordable ceramics, perfect for souvenirs".
• Goshuin. A shrine or temple stamp usually costs a donation of 300 to 500 yen (see the section on shrine and temple souvenirs below).

Traditional Japanese souvenirs

"Japanese handicrafts have a rich history, and artisans take pride in mastering techniques passed down for generations," says GO TOKYO. The national government designates 244 traditional crafts (as of 27 October 2025), from textiles and pottery to lacquerware and dolls, each tied to the area where it is made. These are the traditional souvenirs that travel best.

• Tenugui. "Tenugui are flat-woven cotton cloths that are about 90 cm (2.9 feet) x 35 cm (1.1 feet) in size." "It is said that tenugui were already in use during the Nara Period (A.D. 710-794)." They are "Great for wrapping various items including bento boxes and drink bottles", and "They come in an endless variety of patterns, from lucky charms in humorous designs to colorful artistic designs such as ukiyoe, and they are also fun to collect." Many towns have their own designs, so JNTO suggests asking for them at local tourist information centres and souvenir corners.
• Furoshiki. A square cloth for wrapping and carrying things. JNTO: "Japanese gift wrapping is an art in itself, often using the sustainable furoshiki cloth which is a traditional wrapping that adds elegance to your gift."
• Uchiwa fans. GO TOKYO: "Uchiwa-e, handheld uchiwa fans adorned with ukiyo-e woodblock print images, have been popular since the Edo period." It also recommends mizu-uchiwa, fans made to be waterproof.
• Kitchen tools. GO TOKYO: "Traditional Japanese kitchen cleaning brushes called tawashi are a rare item to find outside Japan but are an integral part of the Japanese lifestyle—making a tawashi a unique and meaningful souvenir from Tokyo." For cooks, a knife is the ultimate souvenir: "In the Japanese culinary arts, great importance is placed on the quality of the tools used. This is especially true for knives." Our guide to what to buy in Japan explains where to buy one and how to fly home with it.
• Ceramics. Tokyo's Kappabashi is the easy option; the pottery towns are the adventurous one. Tokoname in Aichi Prefecture is one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan, with more than 1,000 years of pottery behind it.
• Washi paper and brushes. JNTO: "Washi is a traditional paper made from plant fibers such as kozo (paper mulberry), mitsumata, and gampi." Kumano in Hiroshima Prefecture is the brush town: "Its brush-making tradition spans around 180 years, and about 80 percent of Japan's domestic brush production takes place there."
• Glass and dolls. Among Tokyo's crafts, GO TOKYO lists "kiriko (Japanese cut-glass art) glassware, kimekomi dolls made of wood and cloth".
• Kokeshi. Simple painted wooden dolls, sold among the stalls of Nakamise in Asakusa.

Where to see many crafts in one place

• Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square in Akasaka, Tokyo, sells the government-designated crafts from all over Japan under one roof. It is at 8-1-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, open from 11:00 to 19:00 (to 18:00 on some days) every day except over the New Year holidays.
• Edo Taito Traditional Crafts Center, at 2-22-13 Asakusa, a five-minute walk from Asakusa Station, shows Tokyo's own crafts: "There are around 250 objects, covering about 50 styles of traditional craftwork." It opens from 10:00 to 18:00 and closes on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month (the next day if that Tuesday is a public holiday). Information is in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.

Daruma and maneki-neko: lucky charms to take home

Japan has lucky charms for almost every wish, and two of them make favourite souvenirs: the round daruma doll and the maneki-neko, the beckoning cat. Both are cheap enough to buy for several people, and both come with a story to tell when you hand them over.

Daruma dolls

JNTO: "Takasaki Daruma dolls have over 200 years of history and are still a thriving tradition, being bought and gifted to families and companies to invite good fortune and positivity into their homes and offices." Most daruma come from Takasaki, a city in Gunma Prefecture, "which today produces over 80% of the popular lucky charms".

The round shape has a meaning: it stands for the saying "fall down seven times, stand up eight". The face is full of symbols too. "The eyebrows represent the crane, while the beard represents the turtle—two animals that symbolize longevity and good fortune in Buddhism."

How a daruma works:

1. "A Daruma doll always comes with blank, white eyes."
2. "Those who hope to have their wish fulfilled must first fill in one eye to give the Daruma sight. If the wish is realized, you reward the doll with its second eye, fully restoring its sight."
3. "One year after buying the doll, it is customary to bring it to the temple where it was bought and have it burned on the grounds by a priest—whether your wishes were granted or not." This ritual is called otakiage, and several temples around Japan hold it every year.

Daruma come in many colours, and each colour stands for a different kind of luck. JNTO's guide to Takasaki daruma gives these meanings:

Other colours exist as well. The best place to see daruma in every colour is Takasaki itself. "Each year on January 1–2 is the Takasaki Daruma Festival", held outside the west exit of Takasaki Station. Shorinzan Daruma-ji Temple in Takasaki is said to be where daruma-making began, and "The temple grounds house workshops where you can paint your own Daruma."

Maneki-neko, the beckoning cat

"Although many people outside Japan first encounter these cat figurines in restaurants and shops around the world, the maneki-neko originated in Japan." The raised paw is a wave: "In Japan, people traditionally beckon with the palm facing downward, unlike the outward-facing gesture common in many other countries."

Which paw should it raise? It depends on the wish. "A left paw is believed to welcome people, while a right paw is said to attract wealth and prosperity." So a left-paw cat suits a shop or a home that loves guests, and a right-paw cat suits anyone hoping for money.

Where to find them:

• Nakamise, Asakusa. The stalls on the way to Sensoji Temple sell maneki-neko figurines alongside wooden kokeshi dolls.
• Imado-jinja, Asakusa. Near Sensoji is Imado-jinja, "a shrine famed for its hundreds of manekineko (beckoning cat) figures", where the goshuin stamp has cat motifs.
• Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture. A pottery town "With a history of ceramic production stretching back more than 1,000 years". On Maneki-neko Street, between Tokoname Station and the Tokoname Tourist Information Center, a giant cat called Tokonyan peeks over an embankment and "39 distinctive maneki-neko, each created by an artist connected to Tokoname, line the wall."

Shrine and temple souvenirs: omamori and goshuin

Some of the most personal souvenirs in Japan cost very little and can only be had in one place. JNTO explains that "visitors to Japan's religious sites can pick up mementos of their visit, such as amulets (omamori), fortune-telling slips (omikuji), and original stamps known as goshuin."

Omamori. "Along with goshuin, most shrines and temples also offer amulets (omamori) for good luck or protection." "These small charms or prayers are kept in a woven fabric bag, and each site has an original design." They are light, flat and easy to give, and the design is different at every shrine and temple.

Omikuji. "Around New Year, many visitors get their fortune (omikuji), written on paper." You don't need to read Japanese to join in: some sites, including Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple in Chiba and Kushida-jinja Shrine in Fukuoka, "offer fortunes in multiple languages".

Goshuin. A goshuin is a stamp and handwritten inscription from a shrine or temple. "Each shrine or temple has its own design, meaning a goshuin is a distinctive memento." The priest or a member of staff puts a red stamp in your goshuincho, the book for collecting goshuin, and writes the extra details in black ink by hand. You can get both the stamps and the books at shrine and temple offices; if you can't find the office, look for the counter selling amulets and fortune slips, or ask. "Goshuin usually require a donation of around 300–500 yen, and visitors should pray before lining up to receive a stamp." "If you forget to bring your goshuincho, you can also receive a goshuin on a piece of paper."

Souvenirs for kids, and anime and character goods

Children usually want something they can play with or show off, and Japan is very good at those.

• Tokyo Character Street. "First Avenue Tokyo Station is a wonderland of Japanese culture directly connected to Tokyo Station." Its Tokyo Character Street, "which features shops filled with popular Japanese characters", has more than 30 shops, most of them tax-free, and opens from 10:00 to 20:30. "First Avenue Tokyo Station is located in JR Tokyo Station (outside the ticket gates). Exit any Yaesu gate from the shinkansen lines or traditional lines and you're there." Some shops may not take credit cards, so ask before you buy.
• Tokyo Okashi Land. In the same mall is Tokyo Okashi Land, "which has a lineup of sweets from Japan's leading confectionery makers", open from 9:00 to 21:00. It is the easy place to buy snacks for children and classmates.
• Takeshita Street, Harajuku. JNTO calls it the place to see the newest trends and to buy ultra-cute souvenirs you will only find in Japan.
• Kawaii stationery. In stationery, "Bright colors, playful patterns, and motifs such as smiling faces and animals can make familiar tools feel friendlier and more cheerful and distinctive." Pencils, erasers and stickers make good small gifts for a whole class.
• Food-sample magnets. Magnets shaped like sushi and other dishes, from Kappabashi, Tokyo's kitchenware district, are small, funny and very Japanese.

For anime and manga goods beyond the station, our guide to what to buy in Japan covers the anime districts of Akihabara and Nakano Broadway.

Souvenirs that aren't food

Food is the classic omiyage, but it doesn't last, and some countries are strict about bringing it in. These souvenirs keep for years and are easy to pack:

• Stationery and washi tape. "Unlike display-only souvenirs, stationery can become part of everyday routines through regular use."
• Tenugui and furoshiki. Light cloths that fold flat and can be used every day.
• Chopsticks, ceramics and kitchen tools. Bowls and cups from Kappabashi or a pottery town, chopsticks, or a tawashi brush.
• Fans. Uchiwa with ukiyo-e prints are flat and light.
• Lucky charms. Daruma, maneki-neko and omamori.
• Goshuin. A stamp book filled on your trip is a souvenir for yourself.
• Character goods. Figures, plush toys and stationery from Tokyo Character Street or Akihabara.
• Skincare and drugstore goods. Pack liquids in your checked bag.

What you can take home is decided by your own country's customs rules. Our guide to what to buy in Japan has the rules for flying with liquids and knives, and examples for the UK and the US.

Japanese souvenirs by interest

Gift guides often split souvenirs into ones for men and ones for women, but it works better to think about what the person enjoys:

• Cooks: a knife, a tawashi brush, bowls from Kappabashi, or furikake from a market.
• Writers and journal keepers: pens, notebooks, washi tape, washi paper or a brush from Kumano.
• Tea drinkers: green tea and a cup from a pottery town such as Tokoname.
• Design lovers: tenugui, furoshiki, kiriko cut glass or an uchiwa fan with an ukiyo-e print.
• Anyone who likes a story: a daruma in the right colour, or a maneki-neko with the right paw raised.
• Anime and game fans: character goods from Tokyo Character Street or Akihabara.
• Skincare fans: drugstore skincare, which GO TOKYO says is budget-friendly without skimping on quality.
• Parents and grandparents: a purple daruma for health and a long life, or an omamori charm from a shrine you visited.
• Children: kawaii stationery, food-sample magnets and character goods.

Where to buy Japanese souvenirs

You can buy souvenirs almost anywhere in Japan, but some places do it better than others. Start with the shops you pass anyway, then add a market street or two.

Wherever you are

• Big stations. Large stations have rows of souvenir shops selling boxed sweets and snacks from their region, so you can shop while you wait for your train. Tokyo Station is the best example (see Tokyo below).
• Department stores. GO TOKYO: "Department stores have a vast selection of offerings that look too beautiful to eat: intricately designed wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), and more." Look on the food floors.
• Convenience stores and supermarkets. Everyday places for snacks, sweets in seasonal flavours, tea and furikake. Our konbini guide lists the limited-edition labels to look for.
• 100-yen shops and drugstores. See the section on cheap souvenirs above.
• Lifestyle stores and bookshops. For stationery, JNTO says "large lifestyle stores, department stores, and bookstores often have broad stationery sections", and "Smaller selections can also be found at retailers around major train stations and in airports". Before you try out a pen: "Availability and testing rules vary by store, so visitors should follow posted guidance or ask staff before testing a product."
• Tourist information centres. Ask for tenugui and other goods in local designs.
• Shotengai. These covered shopping arcades and streets are where locals shop, and JNTO notes that "you can find souvenirs specific to each shotengai". Tokyo's longest is Togoshi-Ginza in Shinagawa Ward: 1.3 km long and a minute's walk from Togoshi-Ginza Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line, with towels and key rings featuring the street's own mascot that are sold only there.

Tokyo

Nakamise, Asakusa. "The Nakamise shopping avenue is a 250-meter long path that leads from the Kaminarimon Gate to the Hozomon Gate of Tokyo's oldest temple, Sensoji." "About 90 stalls selling souvenirs, traditional goods and snacks line the street in Asakusa." It is one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan and a classic place for kokeshi dolls, maneki-neko and clogs. "Snacks such as red bean-filled sweets and deep-fried rice crackers make for popular edible souvenirs." Come back after dinner too: the shutters of the closed stalls are painted with murals of Sensoji's history through the seasons, and the temple is lit up. The nearest station is Asakusa, on the Ginza, Asakusa and Tobu lines and the Tsukuba Express.

Kappabashi. Tokyo's kitchen town is a five-minute walk from Tawaramachi Station on the Ginza Line, or about 15 minutes on foot from the sights of Asakusa. JNTO: "Visit here for knives, crockery and plastic food replicas—these are some of the area's most popular souvenir items." For something lighter, "Magnets shaped like sushi and yakitori and food-themed smartphone covers make for some more unusual Tokyo gifts." Look out for statues of kappa, the water imps of Japanese folklore, along the street.

Ameyoko, Ueno. From Tokyo Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Ueno (about 10 minutes) and walk five minutes. JNTO calls this partly open-air market "The place to shop for offbeat souvenirs" and notes that "Many stores focus on selling one kind of item only", from military-surplus shops, a nod to the market's black-market beginnings after the Second World War, to denim. Bargains are everywhere, which JNTO says makes "for plenty of lively interactions not typical of most retail in Japan, so enjoy."

Tokyo Station. Besides the character shops and sweets described above, First Avenue Tokyo Station has TOKYO GIFT PALETTE on the first floor, open from 9:30 to 20:30 (from 9:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays). For kawaii goods, head to Takeshita Street in Harajuku (see souvenirs for kids above).

Kyoto

Kyoto's streets, JNTO says, "are filled with old, traditional shops that hearken back to the time when it ruled as Japan's ancient capital", and as one of Japan's trendiest cities it has plenty of new shops selling chic souvenirs too.

Nishiki Market is the place to start. Nicknamed Kyoto's Kitchen, "this narrow 400m-long shopping arcade is home to over 100 shops selling a tremendous variety of food". It is a three-minute walk from Shijo Station on the Karasuma subway line. "You can pick up all sorts of items from razor-sharp chef's knives to personalized chopsticks", and the furikake rice seasoning is "flavorful and suitcase-friendly", JNTO says, "a perfect edible gift for friends and coworkers".

Other things to look for in Kyoto:

• Chirimen. "Much of the nation's chirimen, the silk crepe used for kimono, is produced in Kyoto", and shops sell business-card holders, wallets and other goods made from it.
• Incense. Kyoto has many incense shops, because incense is traditionally used in offerings at the city's temples. Look for scented sachets called nioi bukuro, and for incense burners on Sannenzaka, the slope up to Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
• Tenugui and furoshiki. At one fabric shop, "Many of the cloths have amusing patterns, like maiko (apprentice geisha) playing golf or riding a bullet train."
• Oil-blotting paper. A make-up shop founded in 1904 for the actors of Kyoto's theatres is best known for aburatorigami, oil-blotting paper.
• Tabi and stamps. Look for "modern versions of traditional tabi, or split-toe shoes", and for "unique seals and stamps, many with quirky or intricate patterns".

Osaka

Osaka's nickname is kuidaore, "eat yourself into ruin", and food is the classic souvenir here. One of JNTO's picks is okonomiyaki senbei, "a type of rice cracker sprinkled with freeze-dried okonomiyaki ingredients": "Okonomiyaki senbei is the closest alternative that you can get to the flavour of the real thing." Mochi rice cakes with mitarashi, a sweet soy sauce, are sold almost everywhere in the city, but the boxed kind JNTO recommends keeps only about three days, so buy it on your last day.

For everything else, walk the covered arcade of Tenjinbashisuji: 2.5 km long, with more than 600 specialist shops and restaurants, near Ogimachi, Minamimorimachi and Tenma stations. One shop there stocks only souvenirs made or designed in Osaka, from seasonings to fans. "For a stylish and lightweight option, consider a tenugui (hand towel)", JNTO suggests, and look for a locally designed, hand-dyed one featuring Osaka's landmarks.

Regional souvenirs around Japan

Every region has its own speciality, and the best souvenir is often the one made where you are. A few that JNTO recommends:

• Atami. The shopping streets "situated right in front of the main station" sell onsen manju: "These sweet buns, which are usually filled with bean paste, are traditionally cooked in hot spring steam".
• Yoshino. "Yoshino in Nara Prefecture has a washi-making tradition dating back around 1,300 years." Local workshops make the paper from locally grown kozo and water from the Yoshino River.
• Kurashiki. "Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture is the birthplace of decorative Japanese masking tape." It was first made for industry; the colourful, patterned kind came later, and shops all over the Bikan Historical Quarter sell it.
• Takamatsu. In Takamatsu Marugamemachi Shopping Street, "a 470m-long shopping arcade in the heart of the city", look for temari: "For a truly local souvenir, pick up a Sanuki Kagari temari ball made from brightly plant-dyed cotton yarn. These hand-embroidered balls come in a multitude of intricate patterns and colors".

At the airport

The airport is your last chance to buy, and it is well stocked. GO TOKYO: "Like all airport and transit hubs in Japan, Haneda Airport has an incredible selection of Japanese souvenirs that make great last-minute gifts." In Terminal 3, souvenir shops and restaurants line Edo Ko-Ji, a recreated Edo-period street. "Terminal 3 is open 24 hours, but the business hours of each shop vary."

• Narita. JNTO points to shops in Terminal 1 selling Japanese fabrics, sweets, tea and lacquerware, and to convenience stores throughout the terminals for snacks and medicine.
• Kansai. At Kansai International Airport, look for regional souvenirs such as umeboshi, "a popular export from nearby Wakayama". "Many treats are also themed around Osaka's famed takoyaki (grilled octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (savory pancakes)." "Grab snacks, candy, medicine and other last-minute goods at one of the many general shops scattered throughout the terminals."
• Timing. Buy anything you want to pack in your checked bag before security, and leave time: "Please also be aware that airport security checkpoints tend to be crowded on the weekends, and arrive at the airport early." From 1 November 2026, tax-free shoppers also need to stop at a tax-free kiosk before check-in (see Getting souvenirs home below).

Make your own souvenir

GO TOKYO describes monozukuri as the art of making things with a deep appreciation of craftsmanship, and asks: "What better way to take that spirit home than with a souvenir you made with your own hands?" It recommends three small workshops in eastern Tokyo, and "The best part is that all the results are compact and travel friendly."

1. A miniature umbrella. An umbrella maker in Sumida, founded in 1960 and known for a labour-intensive hand-weaving technique called hogushi-ori, lets you choose from about 10 Japanese patterns, then cut the fabric, sew it to the frame and put the umbrella together. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half. The instructors work mainly in Japanese, but each step is shown, and "The finished umbrella is light and folds up neatly into a little bag." In Japan, umbrellas are linked with protection and good luck, and giving one is a way of wishing someone happiness and well-being.
2. A kimekomi sumo wrestler. A Sumida workshop for kimekomi dolls, founded in 1841 and now in its seventh generation, sits in the same neighbourhood as Ryogoku, "the historic home of sumo in Tokyo". Kimekomi, in which fabric is pressed into grooves in a wooden doll, began in 18th-century Kyoto and is recognised by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a traditional craft. You dress a wrestler in his belt, write a kanji name made for you on a small wooden plaque with a brush, and take him home with his own miniature sumo ring. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half, with a printed guide and basic English.
3. A gamaguchi clasp purse. The purse is named after gama, the Japanese word for toad, because its clasp opens like a toad's mouth, and in folklore the toad brings luck: money spent finds its way back. A craft shop in Kappabashi, within walking distance of Sensoji, runs the class with basic English support. You choose your fabric from Japanese offcuts, and "No sewing is required". You make a slim case for accessories, pens or glasses and a mini coin-purse key ring, and "Both are finished and ready to take home within the hour."

GO TOKYO adds: "Plus, you can easily reserve your spot in advance through GOTOKYO's official ticket site."

Outside Tokyo, you can make souvenirs where they come from:

• Takasaki: paint your own daruma at Shorinzan Daruma-ji Temple (see daruma dolls above).
• Kumano: at a local facility, "visitors can watch brush-making demonstrations and take part in the finishing stage under the guidance of a certified traditional craftsperson."
• Kurashiki: for masking tape, "Some local facilities also offer factory tours and decorating activities".
• Yoshino: "Papermaking experiences may also be available with advance arrangements".

Our guide to what to buy in Japan lists more workshops, from a small taiko drum in Hamamatsu to Kutani porcelain in Ishikawa.

How to give omiyage, and gift wrapping

JNTO puts it simply: "Japanese people take gifts very seriously and they have plenty of occasions throughout the year when it's customary to bring something and share with others." If you are bringing a gift to a Japanese host, to colleagues in Japan or to a business meeting, a little etiquette goes a long way.

Wrapping is easy to arrange: "If you tell the clerk your items are a gift, they will wrap up your items for you, saving you the time and effort. Just make sure to keep track of what's what." A furoshiki or tenugui (see traditional souvenirs above) makes reusable wrapping that is part of the gift.

Flying to the United States? U.S. Customs and Border Protection asks travellers not to gift-wrap items they carry or send into the country, because officers may need to unwrap them, and says gifts must be declared. Carry gifts unwrapped and wrap them when you get home, perhaps in a furoshiki. Other countries have their own rules, so check yours before you fly.

Getting souvenirs home

• Tax-free shopping. Visitors who have been in Japan for less than six months can shop tax-free, saving the 10% consumption tax (8% on food), when they spend 5,000 yen or more before tax in one shop on one day and show their passport. From 1 November 2026 you pay the full price, and the tax is refunded after customs checks your purchases as you leave. Take the goods out of Japan within 90 days, and scan your passport at a tax-free kiosk at the airport before check-in and security. Goods you post home yourself are not tax-free. Our tax-free calculator works out what you get back.
• Liquids and knives. Sauces, skincare and other liquids in your cabin bag must be in containers of 100 ml or less, in one clear 1-litre bag; anything bought after security is exempt. Knives go in your checked bag. Our guide to what to buy in Japan has the details.
• Sending bags ahead. If your suitcase fills up, send it ahead. The baggage counter at First Avenue Tokyo Station says: "Bags can also be shipped to various airports in Japan!" Our guide to luggage forwarding in Japan explains how it works.
• Breakables. Wrap ceramics and glass in clothes and pack them in the middle of your suitcase.
• Customs at home. Your own country decides what you may bring in, especially food. Our guide to what to buy in Japan has examples for the UK and the US.

To cite or link to this page: Japanese souvenirs: the best things to bring home, gifts for coworkers, cheap and traditional ideas, and where to buy them — Japan Pocket Guide, https://japanpocketguide.com/shopping/souvenirs/ Copy