Patrick is a contributing writer originally from Chicago. He’s spent the past five years exploring nearly all of Japan’s 47 prefectures, with a particular interest in travel, culture, food history, and lesser-known parts of the country.
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5 Tokyo omiyage to bring back from your trip or recommend to visitors
If you’ve ever passed through Tokyo Station or one of the city’s airports, you’ve probably seen them: rows of colourful, neatly packaged sweets.
Although often translated as ‘souvenir’, omiyage has a somewhat different meaning in Japanese. Rather than something you buy for yourself, it’s a gift you bring back for others. And in many cases – especially professional settings – it’s pretty much a requirement. In fact, returning from a business trip empty-handed can be seen as inconsiderate.
The word originally referred to a custom of bringing items back from religious pilgrimages. While the meaning has changed over time, that sense of consideration for others remains.
Across Japan, each region has its own local products or meibutsu (‘famous things’), and Tokyo is no exception. The difference is that in the capital, many of these don’t have particularly long histories, but were instead designed with modern travellers in mind.
Here are five staple Tokyo omiyage and the stories behind them.