When Japanese people travel, inevitably they buy local specialties, “Omiage” (souvenirs).
Seeing Japanese people with bags full of omiage in their hands is a common sight at airports and train stations.
First, when we make our travel schedule, it is normal to set aside time for a visit to some omiage stores.
So, instead of getting caught up in the scenery, eating delicious food, or capturing a lifetime of memories with a camera, some may spend the most time picking out souvenirs.
That is how strongly Japanese people feel about souvenirs.
They are extremely meaningful to the Japanese people.
So why do Japanese people care so much in the first place?
It has much to do with the long history of Japan and its national identity.
The Meaning of Japanese Souvenirs
When Japanese people travel, inevitably they buy local specialties, “Omiage” (souvenirs).
Seeing Japanese people with bags full of omiage in their hands is a common sight at airports and train stations.
The act of buying souvenirs for a trip is not a uniquely Japanese practice. However, the "Omiage" that Japanese people buy on their travels have a unique meaning that is different from that of other countries.
Let us introduce the meaning of souvenirs and why Japanese people buy souvenirs.
Souvenirs are gifts for special people
Most Japanese people buy souvenirs mainly as gifts not for themselves, but for those they care about.
The receiver of the souvenirs may be a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or a co-worker.
Of course, Japanese souvenirs also have an aspect of gift to oneself, but they have a stronger meaning as a gift or present to others. Japanese souvenirs are intended to convey various feelings of everyday gratitude, encouragement, and even apologies.
Sharing Memories of Your Trip with Souvenirs
Japanese people buy souvenirs in order to share memories of their travels with the people they give them to.
The person returning from a trip will tell you about the history and culture they learned during their trip, passionately talk about recommended destinations, and share their experiences of the trip with others along with the souvenirs.
Meanwhile, the person who receives the souvenirs will look at the gifts and have an image of that particular place that he or she has never been before.
Perhaps because of this, Japanese souvenirs are often foods or products that strongly reflect regional characteristics.
For example, if you receive tea leaves, you can imagine tea fields spread out all over the land, and if you receive sake, you can picture the rich natural environment with delicious water flowing through it.
Sweets, in particular, are a staple of souvenirs, as many of them last for a long time and are appreciated by both genders, from children to the elderly.
Unlike showing pictures or videos, the receiver's imagination can be sparked, which is also an interesting and sentimental aspect of the souvenirs.
For Japanese people, it is also a big part of travel to carefully select souvenirs from such considerations, wondering which gifts will convey to the special people they care about what they have seen, heard, and felt on their travels.
First, when we make our travel schedule, it is normal to set aside time for a visit to some omiage stores.
So, instead of getting caught up in the scenery, eating delicious food, or capturing a lifetime of memories with a camera, some may spend the most time picking out souvenirs.
That is how strongly Japanese people feel about souvenirs.
They are extremely meaningful to the Japanese people.
So why do Japanese people care so much in the first place?
It has much to do with the long history of Japan and its national identity.
"Omiage" is a gift from God!?
How did "Omiage" in Japan come about and how did it take root in people's daily lives?
Let us trace back the history of "souvenirs."
In Japan, there has been a culture of visiting temples and shrines for more than 1,000 years.
It is believed that the origin of "omiage" dates back to the time when people received sake and other specialties in exchange for offerings, which they took home as proof of their visit to the shrine or temple. The items brought back from the shrines and temples were shared with family members as a precious "gifts" bestowed by the gods.
Later, the omiage culture took hold in Japan during the Edo period.
At that time, a visit to Ise Jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture was a dream for the average person.
Since it was difficult to raise funds for this expensive trip; hence, a system called "Oiseko" was established in which villagers pooled their funds and those selected by a lottery were chosen to represent their village to visit the shrine.
The remaining villagers would entrust their prayers to the representative, who would then buy a board called "miyage" for the villagers to affix the talisman to and then return home.
The word "Omiage" is derived from this "miyage."
Furthermore, "Oiseko" became a big thing and the number of worshippers increased so rapidly that a business selling dumplings and steamed buns named "Omiage" was born as an alternative to "miyage."
The more familiar "omiage" spread throughout the country, and even today it is a common sight to see specialty sweets sold at the gates of shrines and temples.
In the modern era, the development of railroads made it possible to travel long distances in a short time. The range of souvenirs that could be brought back home expanded, and the Japanese "omiage" culture permeated the country even further.
Omiage, an expression of the Japanese spirit
Souvenirs are a distinctive expression of the Japanese national identity, or in other words, of Japanese culture.
Japanese people are not good at expressing their feelings, but with the help of omiage, they are able to convey their hidden intentions and build good relationships with others.
Omiage speaks on behalf of feelings that cannot be expressed in words
By nature, the most efficient and straightforward way to express feelings toward others is to do so in words. However, Japanese people tend to be shy about expressing their feelings in public.
Therefore, they often try to express their feelings that cannot be fully conveyed in words by using physical objects.
"Omiage" may be one such way of expressing such feelings: "Thank you," "Good luck," "I'm sorry," and so on...
These are the feelings that we usually have trouble expressing in words, and we put them into the souvenirs and give them to the people we care about.
The Meaning Behind the "O" in Omiage
In Japan, there is a culture of adding "o" to nouns such as rice and sweets, and the same is true for "omiage."
In fact, the "o" is added to make words more elegant and sophisticated.
So why must "omiage" look attractive?
It is because they are supposed to be given to others.
Since they are delivered to the hands of important people, not only the souvenir itself, but also the way it is called, shows the depth of Japanese people's respect for the receivers.
Souvenirs bring people together
In Japan, for example, when visiting family far from home, people bring souvenirs of the local specialties from their own area.
In business, it is also customary to give souvenirs along with greetings.
What is important is that there is an unspoken rule that the receiver of a omiage should return it someday as an expression of gratitude.
In other words, giving and being given omiage allows people to have countless interactions with each other. If you ever give a Japanese person a souvenir from your country, you can be sure that the next time you see them again, they will present you with many Japanese omiage.
The more souvenirs you exchange, the more difficult it might be to choose the right one that will make them happy and that is another way of enjoying "omiage."
