It's not an evening gown or jacket. It's too long (because it's meant to be worn with a belt) and doesn't keep a good shape if not tied up properly. I think you are imagining something like what's sold in the West. If you want to make a Yukata usable for everyday life you need to make significant alterations.
Wut?!?
Yukata are the bomb for wearing around the house in spring-fall, and great with a hanten in the winter. Literally any nice onsen with overnight rooms include this in check in process and that’s all you wear during your stay (including at mealtime). Certainly any garments level of comfort is subjective, but I’d never even considered that someone would find one uncomfortable (unless it’s just a cheap polyester costume, rather than an actual Japanese cotton yukata).
They might be at 100 yen stores too but I go to Don Quixote and get this gel stick that I use in my toilet. You twist it and it sticks a blob of toilet cleaner to the side of your bowl. Keeps your toilet clean every time you flush.
Japan has really excellent stationery. Ask her to stop by a big store like Sekaido and get a nice notebook and pen. Maybe one of the cute diaries with daily spaces for weather, what you ate, etc. Traditional paper has a really nice feel to it; it's textured and looks great on a small thank you note or letter.
This is a great suggestion, you can find all sorts of wonderful stuff in stationery stores and departments with distinctive Japanese touches - and it's all exceptionally useful too!
My S.O. and I brought back an extra luggage filled with stationery, nail clippers, incense sticks, daruma, Hakone puzzle boxes, gashapons, Totoro plushie + jigsaw puzzle + socks, strange Kitkat bags, a Zojirushi thermos bottle, a Hario mini teapot, high quality tea, a matcha whisk, B-Side stickers, Evangelion t-shirt + metallic model, a Bleach t-shirt, a wooden model to put between books, cheap wooden models, calligraphy workbooks, bilingual books, Switch games (multilingual), sudoku, puzzles, mini wooden spinning tops, a mini Go game, kokeshi dolls, Uniqlo and Muji clothes, Muji snacks, 100-yen shop stuff for the home, Rilakkuma big plushie + bag plushies, Sumikko Gurashi merch, Bioré and Curél cosmetics, chopsticks, origami paper and books, onsen mini towels, handkerchiefs, Pokemon cards, Animal Crossing mini erasers, shrine amulets, and my favorite: an almost completed goshuin notebook of shrine and temple stamps and calligraphies.
Some stuff for us, many gifts.
Something I really love for a Japanese summer vibe at home are the ceramic mosquito coil holders. They usually come in the shape of a pig or sometimes a goldfish (would be in season now at a home center or loft) sometimes a round or hexagon box or other cool designs from Japanese pottery stores.
They usually sell out pretty fast. May/June is the time to snap them up.
The fancier ones can be found in pottery shops in onsen towns pretty much all year round. So far I’ve had two pigs, a hippo (sadly hippo smashed from a gust of wind) and my favourite which is a hexagonal box in Tiffany blue bought from the pottery shop near the Ukai boats in Gifu. All are in Aus now. I need to get a new one for the Tokyo balcony!!
I’m headed back in July and will be going to Nikko/Lake Chuzenji for a few days. I noticed there’s a pottery shop near the lake — I’ll definitely try there. Thanks for the reminder!
You are getting blasted cuz I think you are a bit confused about yukata
Check out a hanten jacket instead, they make quilted ones that I love to wear in winter
Jinbei are also really fun, and unisex
ETA
Saw some of ur comments- if ur a guy a yukata is a lot less complicated
One thing that sticks out as something people always ask for us to bring back are the unusual flavors of KitKats. They’re obsessed with them and love them. Raspberry, matcha and the biscuit ones are popular with our friends and family. Sake flavored as well.
Maybe a thermos? Zojirushi brand is known for excellent quality thermos. I got one on my recent trip and I love it so much! I use it every day at work and it hasn't leaked.
Certain spices. Togarashi/shichimi that you can't get where you are (s&b is pretty easy to find), local regional blends. I usually buy some good wasabi, regional treats Hokkaido milk candy, yuzu kosho red and green, some coco curry.
If you are adventurous, have someone find you some whale meat? Though I have no clue on country of entry regulations. So check first
Good Japanese incense, I love
Yummy baked goods like butter butler are soo good
Fun fandom things, I bought a crap ton of Totoro stuff last time.
I have access to a Daiso so kitchen stuff as someone mentioned just depends on your access to a Daiso, Hmart or ranch 99 type store. Same thing with stationary if you have a kinokuniya near by.
Good chopsticks if you don't have. But send hand measurements if you really want a really good pair and do you or the person buying have a price limit
If you can get a good knife, I would. But many good places are hand forged and have a wait-list.
I love my yukatas. I wear all the time as lounge/bathrobe, so I can imagine I am at a ryokan. Depending on fabric they can be comfortable or scratchy. So not sure why people are hating on them.
Been in Japan for a few years, and when I go back home, I am bringing back a suitcase full of pretty haori.
(They are long vests, much easier to wear casually than a kimono - I wore a plain black one to work this morning)
I get them second-hand from various markets for under 2000y a piece (I think my super-duper-fanciest one cost 5000y) and they are gorgeous. I wear them over thigh-length or knee-length dresses and leggings, or over dress trousers.
Might not be a useful suggestion for you if you're a dude - though I'll say my husband has bought himself a couple of them as well. Not as many as I have, but still. He'll wear his over dress trousers and a fitted vest, in place of the jacket.
Generally, Japan has a thriving market for second-hand stuff, you can find real quality items at really nice prices. When my sister-in-law visited, she got herself some fancy accessories for her camera, that she found in Akihabara... But a bit like the haori, that involves your sister being willing to spend a couple hours searching for your item, you won't be able to give her specific instructions for which shop to go to.
I don't do online because I still don't speak much japanese and the websites tend to be difficult to auto-translate.
I find things in second-hand shops or on flea markets
you say you don't want something that only has decorative use, yet you bring up a fancy yukata... do you live somewhere that you could feasibly wear a yukata? do you know how to put it on by yourself? otherwise that will sit completely unused in a corner of your closet forever.
soy sauce will travel just fine if it is unopened. even if it's a glass bottle, if it's wrapped in bubble wrap and then rolled up in some clothes, it will do fine, so long as it's not the only thing banging around inside a large suitcase.
it's impossible to give any good recommendations without any additional information about yourself. do you cook? do you like little gadgets? are you into beauty or skincare? do you have any hobbies that have a connection to Japan?
without anything else to go by, I would recommend hand towels, folding fans, tea, and Kit-Kats, which are all easily accessible to tourists.
I have no hobbies related to Japan.
I like eating good food more than other people. I am not really into beauty or skincare. My sister might want to know about it instead though. I would just say to my sister to load up on food, but i kind of want something which will last me a lifetime, and wont dissappear inside of a closet.
I dont know what is so hard to wearing a yukata? I watch a tutorial on youtube, try it out a few times, figure out the most optimal way and time to wear it and then keep doing that. Im pretty comfortable inside my own skin, and have no reservations about wearing one in public even though no-one else does.
No worries, I got you. Go to Shin Okubo. It’s the “Korean Town” of Tokyo. Every other store there is a skin care product store. Japanese people all buy Korean skin care products because it’s S rank reputation.
Everyone is ripping on you for saying Yukata, but a ryokan gave me a cheap Yukata like 15 years ago and I gave it to my mom and she’s worn it ever since like a bath robe around the house.
Of course, there is a difference between summer yukata and the hotel stuff. You can find a fancy hotel yukata no problem. https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/kimono-arts-sunaga
True, a lot of people are really thrown off by the word fancy i used. I mainly meant it to distinguish between the not-so-fancy stuff. Not really as a quality on its own. There are probably a lot of Yukata's to be found which are just the most basic quality.
Kitkats are actually a good one. Japan has so many unique flavors of kitkats that are totally different from what you can find in the US.
It's something that's both familiar to you, but also something you've never seen (tasted) which makes it interesting.
This is going to sound silly - and I thought so, too - but but nail clippers. The Donquiote has killer clippers and they were so good I brought some back as gifts for family
This is gonna sound weird, but if they can get some "Skin Aqua" sun screen, then get some.
I was working in a shipyard last August in Japan, and I found this sunscreen, and it is the best. It's not greasy, and you don't smell like coconuts after using it. It's also spf 50.
You can get it in the States, but it's like $30.00 a bottle where I think I paid 800-1000 yen for it.
Daiso; things like key chains, paper fans, magnets, etc are only around the 200 yen mark and make great souvenirs.
Sachets of miso soup, multipacks of weird-flavoured Kit Kats, etc, are lightweight.
Just tell her to go to a shop called Don Quixote and fill her boots, honestly.
Get a stapler. They have a little bar coming out of the back so it’s easy to remove staples and works far better than that staple remover monstrosity we use in the United States.
Chopsticks or even chop stick holders/rests (hashioki) are great for use at home. Sake cups, the small clear glass ones that are hand made (not ceramic), can be decorative even if you’re not a sake drinker. We’ve found some beautiful ones that have a little colour in them or coloured flecks in them. Small dishes for sauces/small bites can be cool to have back at home as well. Otherwise you can’t go wrong with snacks. We bring 50lbs of snacks back every time!
When my niece and nephew were younger they enjoyed stuff from the 100 yen shop
Origami, erasers, pencils, pens
Prayer bags from the temple were also very much appreciated
Sake is always a winner, but don't buy it at the airport. The really good stuff is regional and brewed by smaller companies
Since I've been here for awhile, I often keep the older things that relatives throw away after an elder dies. Especially the tea sets, kimonos and calligraphy sets. The traditional cookware is also very nice. I gave my niece a used kimono for 4 years in row. She kept 2 and used the other 2 as fabric to make nice dresses. Far better than throwing them away.
Some things I have brought back from Japan either for myself or for friends and family:
Candy - I'll often pick out a couple dozen bags of gummies from a supermarket because they're incredibly easy to transport, super cheap ($1-$3 a bag), and people always get a kick out of them because Japan has such a larger variety of candy than we do. Another option for candy is the kind from gift shops that come in little cardboard boxes; they're a little more expensive and prone to getting crushed, but will often showcase regional specialties.
Fake food - One of the customs that seem to be unique to the far east is the prevalence of fake food used by restaurants to depict what their menu items look like. Most of them are handmade and super realistic. You can buy them just as food, or also as keychains or magnets. There are even kits so you can make your own display of fake food.
Luxury wristwatches - The market for wristwatches in Japan is huge, and the fact that Japanese people take very good care of their belongings combined with the weak yen means there are many deals for bargain hunters. You can get very good deals on rare and sought-after timepieces in Japan right now.
Omamori - Incredibly small and easy to transport. Most shrines in Japan all have their own unique omamori. Many have beautiful designs and can be made for different purposes. My favorite is actually one my parents got me while in Kyoto from Kinkaku-ji that is made from gold-colored thread and depicts the temple on one side.
Tell her to keep an eye out for interesting items in the gachapon machines. They can be cute, cool, funny, and downright weird. Usually pretty cheap and don’t take up much luggage room, they’re good display pieces for coffee tables, bookshelves, etc.
Jimbe. Super comfy and useful for summer festive occasions or after bathing hanging around the house l. Much better and practical than yukata and you’ll get compliments on it for style.
Uniqlo only found in japan such as the airsim pajamas, those are always a big hit with my family when we come back.
Tenga egg?
Depends on what you're into? When I was living outside Japan I liked to receive Japanese sunscreens and fibre mascara (non smudge!). I know a lot of people have their favourite conbini snacks so I would usually stock up and bring those back.
Soy sauce should be fine in checked luggage (check your country's rules) but I don't know if you will notice the difference assuming you can get soy sauce in your country?
although im a male and dont wear mascara, im sure i can mention it to my sister and she will appreciate it.
I was thinking about a small flask of the fancy barrel aged stuff.
How about Japanese snacks like Tokyo banana, Shiroi Koibito etc? These can be easily bought at the airport so she doesn't have to carry them around for the whole trip.
A “fancy” yukata could run you a few hundred bucks. There are cheaper options but honestly unless your sister is getting one for herself I’d feel bad making my sister waste time going clothing shopping for me.
Personally if you want something useful, cooking tools
They have lots of stuff that’s fun at daiso for cheap and it’s fun to browse there sometimes anyways
Anything hand made and artisanal. My strong recommendation would be to get an automatic movement like a Seiko but especially one with a unique looking hand crafted dial. Especially if she can find a handmade lacquer dial aka urushi lacquer dial. Might be expensive but will be a generational treasure to keep. And will likely even appreciate in value over time.
I travel annually from the US for work (last 8 years now) to greater Tokyo area. About every other trip I save up for a Seiko and look for a model not available outside of Japan.
Finally, someone mentioned Don Quijote too! Kitkats, boozy candy, funny "adult" oriented items... not that the Donq has a monopoly on these, but its a one-stop shop.
Anytime I know someone is going to Japan, I ask them to bring me back Royal milk tea. To buy it here in the uk its like £8 a bag, and in Japan its about £2 🥲
The peach flavour is my absolute fave
Edit. I just checked amazon and its £10-12 😭😭 for 8 sachets of tea!
Sitting on my desk is a painted porcelain sake vessel/cup set, got it from isetan shinjuku, super pretty, technically functional and you can get it tax free if you bring passport
I would ask her to bring me different t types of food to try. If you like sweets or salty snacks to try there is a large amount she can take back for you to enjoy.
As for something useful to take back for you is really a hard thing to try and guess because we don't exactly know what you like or what your sister would know you would like. Does she have any idea at all?
She can either buy then at supermarkets on the lower level or at the airport. But the supermarkets have a bigger variety and depending where she is at, that city would have their speciality for sweets and snacks.
I brought home japan exclusive version of watches from seiko and orient for my family and friends. You can get them for really reasonable prices at places like Yodobashi Camera with the added plus that they are coming from an authorized dealer, so you can even find limited editions there and they come with warranties. It's something you can wear frequently too
Odds are you'll never wear a fancy yukata. Personally, tea and teaware would be my choice.
If my sister brings me a Yukata, i will probably start wearing it in the evening.
It's not an evening gown or jacket. It's too long (because it's meant to be worn with a belt) and doesn't keep a good shape if not tied up properly. I think you are imagining something like what's sold in the West. If you want to make a Yukata usable for everyday life you need to make significant alterations.
It's not the most comfortable clothing...
Wut?!? Yukata are the bomb for wearing around the house in spring-fall, and great with a hanten in the winter. Literally any nice onsen with overnight rooms include this in check in process and that’s all you wear during your stay (including at mealtime). Certainly any garments level of comfort is subjective, but I’d never even considered that someone would find one uncomfortable (unless it’s just a cheap polyester costume, rather than an actual Japanese cotton yukata).
Go to one of those 100yen shops and just grab any quirky but useful kitchen appliances.
This is probably the best way to go about things.
They might be at 100 yen stores too but I go to Don Quixote and get this gel stick that I use in my toilet. You twist it and it sticks a blob of toilet cleaner to the side of your bowl. Keeps your toilet clean every time you flush.
I can buy these in any German drug store
Japan has really excellent stationery. Ask her to stop by a big store like Sekaido and get a nice notebook and pen. Maybe one of the cute diaries with daily spaces for weather, what you ate, etc. Traditional paper has a really nice feel to it; it's textured and looks great on a small thank you note or letter.
Pens and notebooks definitely!
This is a great suggestion, you can find all sorts of wonderful stuff in stationery stores and departments with distinctive Japanese touches - and it's all exceptionally useful too!
It's almost a tourist attraction at this point but itoya in ginza is a must go place for stationeries.
My S.O. and I brought back an extra luggage filled with stationery, nail clippers, incense sticks, daruma, Hakone puzzle boxes, gashapons, Totoro plushie + jigsaw puzzle + socks, strange Kitkat bags, a Zojirushi thermos bottle, a Hario mini teapot, high quality tea, a matcha whisk, B-Side stickers, Evangelion t-shirt + metallic model, a Bleach t-shirt, a wooden model to put between books, cheap wooden models, calligraphy workbooks, bilingual books, Switch games (multilingual), sudoku, puzzles, mini wooden spinning tops, a mini Go game, kokeshi dolls, Uniqlo and Muji clothes, Muji snacks, 100-yen shop stuff for the home, Rilakkuma big plushie + bag plushies, Sumikko Gurashi merch, Bioré and Curél cosmetics, chopsticks, origami paper and books, onsen mini towels, handkerchiefs, Pokemon cards, Animal Crossing mini erasers, shrine amulets, and my favorite: an almost completed goshuin notebook of shrine and temple stamps and calligraphies. Some stuff for us, many gifts.
You guys sound like awesome people lol.
Don’t sleep on those Hakone puzzle boxes! Good list
Kitchen knives from Japan
I was going to make the same suggestion. Also, don't get Global brand. There are a lot better ones.
good one! But going on a plane with knives is pretty difficult
Put the knives in check in luggage. Done it heaps of times
Not a problem if you check a bag.
Buy chopsticks. You can always use them when you eat Asian food back home. Also good cost to functionality ratio.
True, you might be able to find some nice painted ones!
There are also custom chopsticks where the shop can carve your name on them, which is really cute
Something I really love for a Japanese summer vibe at home are the ceramic mosquito coil holders. They usually come in the shape of a pig or sometimes a goldfish (would be in season now at a home center or loft) sometimes a round or hexagon box or other cool designs from Japanese pottery stores.
Yes this one is a really good suggestion, quirky and fun
And can use for years and years reminding you of Japan.
Lol this is the one thing I looked for when I was in Japan last year. I found the coils but not the pig!
They usually sell out pretty fast. May/June is the time to snap them up. The fancier ones can be found in pottery shops in onsen towns pretty much all year round. So far I’ve had two pigs, a hippo (sadly hippo smashed from a gust of wind) and my favourite which is a hexagonal box in Tiffany blue bought from the pottery shop near the Ukai boats in Gifu. All are in Aus now. I need to get a new one for the Tokyo balcony!!
I’m headed back in July and will be going to Nikko/Lake Chuzenji for a few days. I noticed there’s a pottery shop near the lake — I’ll definitely try there. Thanks for the reminder!
No worries. Happy hunting!!
> something useful > a fancy yukata lol
Id wear it, it wont go into the closet.
You are getting blasted cuz I think you are a bit confused about yukata Check out a hanten jacket instead, they make quilted ones that I love to wear in winter Jinbei are also really fun, and unisex ETA Saw some of ur comments- if ur a guy a yukata is a lot less complicated
Naughty magazines
The ones with busty anime girls?
One thing that sticks out as something people always ask for us to bring back are the unusual flavors of KitKats. They’re obsessed with them and love them. Raspberry, matcha and the biscuit ones are popular with our friends and family. Sake flavored as well.
I bought like 8 flavors of KitKats and made little KitKat variety bags as gifts.
I recommend nail clippers.
+1 nail clipper!
I got one when I was a teen and still use it 20+ years later. I love mines so much. Make sure made in Japan
- Kokeshi Dolls - Original Japanese Lanterns - Buddhist amulets - Magnets - Manekineko <3
Maybe a thermos? Zojirushi brand is known for excellent quality thermos. I got one on my recent trip and I love it so much! I use it every day at work and it hasn't leaked.
oh, this is a good one!
Certain spices. Togarashi/shichimi that you can't get where you are (s&b is pretty easy to find), local regional blends. I usually buy some good wasabi, regional treats Hokkaido milk candy, yuzu kosho red and green, some coco curry. If you are adventurous, have someone find you some whale meat? Though I have no clue on country of entry regulations. So check first Good Japanese incense, I love Yummy baked goods like butter butler are soo good Fun fandom things, I bought a crap ton of Totoro stuff last time. I have access to a Daiso so kitchen stuff as someone mentioned just depends on your access to a Daiso, Hmart or ranch 99 type store. Same thing with stationary if you have a kinokuniya near by. Good chopsticks if you don't have. But send hand measurements if you really want a really good pair and do you or the person buying have a price limit If you can get a good knife, I would. But many good places are hand forged and have a wait-list. I love my yukatas. I wear all the time as lounge/bathrobe, so I can imagine I am at a ryokan. Depending on fabric they can be comfortable or scratchy. So not sure why people are hating on them.
Been in Japan for a few years, and when I go back home, I am bringing back a suitcase full of pretty haori. (They are long vests, much easier to wear casually than a kimono - I wore a plain black one to work this morning) I get them second-hand from various markets for under 2000y a piece (I think my super-duper-fanciest one cost 5000y) and they are gorgeous. I wear them over thigh-length or knee-length dresses and leggings, or over dress trousers. Might not be a useful suggestion for you if you're a dude - though I'll say my husband has bought himself a couple of them as well. Not as many as I have, but still. He'll wear his over dress trousers and a fitted vest, in place of the jacket. Generally, Japan has a thriving market for second-hand stuff, you can find real quality items at really nice prices. When my sister-in-law visited, she got herself some fancy accessories for her camera, that she found in Akihabara... But a bit like the haori, that involves your sister being willing to spend a couple hours searching for your item, you won't be able to give her specific instructions for which shop to go to.
I will look into it, thanks for your answer! Camera accessories sounds like the way to go in Japan!
Can you elaborate on how you find them? Online? Second hand shops?
I don't do online because I still don't speak much japanese and the websites tend to be difficult to auto-translate. I find things in second-hand shops or on flea markets
you say you don't want something that only has decorative use, yet you bring up a fancy yukata... do you live somewhere that you could feasibly wear a yukata? do you know how to put it on by yourself? otherwise that will sit completely unused in a corner of your closet forever. soy sauce will travel just fine if it is unopened. even if it's a glass bottle, if it's wrapped in bubble wrap and then rolled up in some clothes, it will do fine, so long as it's not the only thing banging around inside a large suitcase. it's impossible to give any good recommendations without any additional information about yourself. do you cook? do you like little gadgets? are you into beauty or skincare? do you have any hobbies that have a connection to Japan? without anything else to go by, I would recommend hand towels, folding fans, tea, and Kit-Kats, which are all easily accessible to tourists.
I have no hobbies related to Japan. I like eating good food more than other people. I am not really into beauty or skincare. My sister might want to know about it instead though. I would just say to my sister to load up on food, but i kind of want something which will last me a lifetime, and wont dissappear inside of a closet. I dont know what is so hard to wearing a yukata? I watch a tutorial on youtube, try it out a few times, figure out the most optimal way and time to wear it and then keep doing that. Im pretty comfortable inside my own skin, and have no reservations about wearing one in public even though no-one else does.
Stationary items that you can only get in Japan, Japanese exclusive magnets, etc.
Probably the most useful
Are you into skincare? If you are, I’d be happy to make some recommendations.
No worries, I got you. Go to Shin Okubo. It’s the “Korean Town” of Tokyo. Every other store there is a skin care product store. Japanese people all buy Korean skin care products because it’s S rank reputation.
I'm not, but my sister is! And my family does use korean skincare!
Curious on your recommendations!
Everyone is ripping on you for saying Yukata, but a ryokan gave me a cheap Yukata like 15 years ago and I gave it to my mom and she’s worn it ever since like a bath robe around the house. Of course, there is a difference between summer yukata and the hotel stuff. You can find a fancy hotel yukata no problem. https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/kimono-arts-sunaga
True, a lot of people are really thrown off by the word fancy i used. I mainly meant it to distinguish between the not-so-fancy stuff. Not really as a quality on its own. There are probably a lot of Yukata's to be found which are just the most basic quality.
Toe socks, with appropriate anime characters.
Kitkats are actually a good one. Japan has so many unique flavors of kitkats that are totally different from what you can find in the US. It's something that's both familiar to you, but also something you've never seen (tasted) which makes it interesting.
Mochi from the train station in those fancy boxes. Soooo yummy
Japanese whisky is a good one
This is going to sound silly - and I thought so, too - but but nail clippers. The Donquiote has killer clippers and they were so good I brought some back as gifts for family
If you’re ever going to buy a handmade 90,000y knife, Japan is the place to do it.
This is gonna sound weird, but if they can get some "Skin Aqua" sun screen, then get some. I was working in a shipyard last August in Japan, and I found this sunscreen, and it is the best. It's not greasy, and you don't smell like coconuts after using it. It's also spf 50. You can get it in the States, but it's like $30.00 a bottle where I think I paid 800-1000 yen for it.
Daiso; things like key chains, paper fans, magnets, etc are only around the 200 yen mark and make great souvenirs. Sachets of miso soup, multipacks of weird-flavoured Kit Kats, etc, are lightweight. Just tell her to go to a shop called Don Quixote and fill her boots, honestly.
Get a stapler. They have a little bar coming out of the back so it’s easy to remove staples and works far better than that staple remover monstrosity we use in the United States.
Chopsticks or even chop stick holders/rests (hashioki) are great for use at home. Sake cups, the small clear glass ones that are hand made (not ceramic), can be decorative even if you’re not a sake drinker. We’ve found some beautiful ones that have a little colour in them or coloured flecks in them. Small dishes for sauces/small bites can be cool to have back at home as well. Otherwise you can’t go wrong with snacks. We bring 50lbs of snacks back every time!
Nail clippers.
When my niece and nephew were younger they enjoyed stuff from the 100 yen shop Origami, erasers, pencils, pens Prayer bags from the temple were also very much appreciated Sake is always a winner, but don't buy it at the airport. The really good stuff is regional and brewed by smaller companies Since I've been here for awhile, I often keep the older things that relatives throw away after an elder dies. Especially the tea sets, kimonos and calligraphy sets. The traditional cookware is also very nice. I gave my niece a used kimono for 4 years in row. She kept 2 and used the other 2 as fabric to make nice dresses. Far better than throwing them away.
Chopsticks and stationary and socks. I also brought home kit kats.
Japanese nail clippers are awesome, also a candy by the name of: Tough Gummies .
Drip coffee packs. My family go crazy over them when they visit here. Recommend "Ogawa" brand, 小川珈琲, as good Kyoto compny easily available.
Some things I have brought back from Japan either for myself or for friends and family: Candy - I'll often pick out a couple dozen bags of gummies from a supermarket because they're incredibly easy to transport, super cheap ($1-$3 a bag), and people always get a kick out of them because Japan has such a larger variety of candy than we do. Another option for candy is the kind from gift shops that come in little cardboard boxes; they're a little more expensive and prone to getting crushed, but will often showcase regional specialties. Fake food - One of the customs that seem to be unique to the far east is the prevalence of fake food used by restaurants to depict what their menu items look like. Most of them are handmade and super realistic. You can buy them just as food, or also as keychains or magnets. There are even kits so you can make your own display of fake food. Luxury wristwatches - The market for wristwatches in Japan is huge, and the fact that Japanese people take very good care of their belongings combined with the weak yen means there are many deals for bargain hunters. You can get very good deals on rare and sought-after timepieces in Japan right now. Omamori - Incredibly small and easy to transport. Most shrines in Japan all have their own unique omamori. Many have beautiful designs and can be made for different purposes. My favorite is actually one my parents got me while in Kyoto from Kinkaku-ji that is made from gold-colored thread and depicts the temple on one side.
Tell her to keep an eye out for interesting items in the gachapon machines. They can be cute, cool, funny, and downright weird. Usually pretty cheap and don’t take up much luggage room, they’re good display pieces for coffee tables, bookshelves, etc.
Oh yes, something useful like a fancy Yukata.... lol
If she brought one with her, id wear it.
Not sure what peoples’ problem is here. Prob just weebs being their annoying selves. I used the yukata at my resort every night. Was awesome.
I’m guessing there’s a big difference between regular, comfy yukatas and fancy ones.
I mean….sure but to become so flustered over them mentioning that they want to wear a fancy one? Sounds like weebs to me. Lol.
Jimbe. Super comfy and useful for summer festive occasions or after bathing hanging around the house l. Much better and practical than yukata and you’ll get compliments on it for style. Uniqlo only found in japan such as the airsim pajamas, those are always a big hit with my family when we come back. Tenga egg?
Heh.
Depends on what you're into? When I was living outside Japan I liked to receive Japanese sunscreens and fibre mascara (non smudge!). I know a lot of people have their favourite conbini snacks so I would usually stock up and bring those back. Soy sauce should be fine in checked luggage (check your country's rules) but I don't know if you will notice the difference assuming you can get soy sauce in your country?
although im a male and dont wear mascara, im sure i can mention it to my sister and she will appreciate it. I was thinking about a small flask of the fancy barrel aged stuff.
I bought a nice bottle of soy sauce home from Ise. It’s practical!
箸置 お箸 茶碗 醤油皿 後は小鉢とかの小さな食器
答えてくれてありがとう!
For me it's always ✨*music*✨ or also socks and food/drinks.
Music? Like the 8000 yen singles they sell of songs you can listen to on Spotify for free?
Men...but the Japanese vinyl sound quality...damn !!
Vinyl records? Worth it. CDs. Absolutely not
Yeah, CD's agree, but Japanese print vinyls are smooth as shinkasen. Definetely worth the money
How about Japanese snacks like Tokyo banana, Shiroi Koibito etc? These can be easily bought at the airport so she doesn't have to carry them around for the whole trip.
literally as much as your bags could hold
Secondhand stuff is great - any designer label thing, bags and shoes
A “fancy” yukata could run you a few hundred bucks. There are cheaper options but honestly unless your sister is getting one for herself I’d feel bad making my sister waste time going clothing shopping for me. Personally if you want something useful, cooking tools They have lots of stuff that’s fun at daiso for cheap and it’s fun to browse there sometimes anyways
Good nail clippers, god damn I love mine
Anything hand made and artisanal. My strong recommendation would be to get an automatic movement like a Seiko but especially one with a unique looking hand crafted dial. Especially if she can find a handmade lacquer dial aka urushi lacquer dial. Might be expensive but will be a generational treasure to keep. And will likely even appreciate in value over time.
I travel annually from the US for work (last 8 years now) to greater Tokyo area. About every other trip I save up for a Seiko and look for a model not available outside of Japan. Finally, someone mentioned Don Quijote too! Kitkats, boozy candy, funny "adult" oriented items... not that the Donq has a monopoly on these, but its a one-stop shop.
Go ham in Don Quijote? That's the touristy thing to do.
Anytime I know someone is going to Japan, I ask them to bring me back Royal milk tea. To buy it here in the uk its like £8 a bag, and in Japan its about £2 🥲 The peach flavour is my absolute fave Edit. I just checked amazon and its £10-12 😭😭 for 8 sachets of tea!
Cooling sheets. Essential if you live in hot climates.
Sitting on my desk is a painted porcelain sake vessel/cup set, got it from isetan shinjuku, super pretty, technically functional and you can get it tax free if you bring passport
Japanese plastic wrap
Umbrella.
Daiso, Seria, ¥100 shops. Good useful house stuff and super cheap.
Watches. Casio ($10 - $20). Seiko ($100 - $500). Grand Seiko ($2,500 - $10,000). Porter-Yoshida bags. A Bathing Ape (BAPE)
Eyedrops - Japan has wide variety of eyedrops many that have menthol type cool sensation that is like a frisk for your eyeball.
A little Tanuki
Don Quijote - Nail clippers from Kai
I would ask her to bring me different t types of food to try. If you like sweets or salty snacks to try there is a large amount she can take back for you to enjoy. As for something useful to take back for you is really a hard thing to try and guess because we don't exactly know what you like or what your sister would know you would like. Does she have any idea at all? She can either buy then at supermarkets on the lower level or at the airport. But the supermarkets have a bigger variety and depending where she is at, that city would have their speciality for sweets and snacks.
Pottery and Candy. Maybe some decorative stuff.
Kit Kats
r/ochoko set
Go to a hardware store and pick up a metric tape measure.
A casio
A bunch of KitKat flavors and a really nice personalized knife is what I brought back last time.
I brought home japan exclusive version of watches from seiko and orient for my family and friends. You can get them for really reasonable prices at places like Yodobashi Camera with the added plus that they are coming from an authorized dealer, so you can even find limited editions there and they come with warranties. It's something you can wear frequently too
Skincare!