Shop for souvenir

I was on the train, going back to the apartment. Then, a friend sent me a message to ask me whether I would be available the next afternoon.

We met in the afternoon the next day. Firstly, we went to a restaurant for lunch and then to some stores. She is from Japan. The main objective for her in that afternoon was to buy some souvenirs. She had to buy some souvenirs for her colleagues.

Additionally, I used to collaborate with a Japanese company for an exhibition project a couple of years ago. The first time I met a co-worker from Japan, he prepared a gift box of Japanese snacks as a souvenir. A few weeks later, a group of colleagues went to see the opening of the exhibition and a group leader prepared a gift box of Japanese snacks as well.

I’m not new to this Japanese culture since one of my college roommates who is fluent in Japanese told me a lot about Japanese culture. However, I didn’t really know the importance of “omiyage (souvenirs)”. But, when I met some friends from Japan and collaborated with some Japanese colleagues, I truly understood a little bit more about “omiyage”.

I don’t really know whether preparing souvenirs is good or bad. However, for me, I tend to use a different aspect to see this culture. Firstly, every time I visit Japan, I always see new souvenir-related products. Some are snacks. Some are crafts. You can always try something new or see something new. Secondly, souvenirs are always nicely wrapped. Thus, there are always new designs or new packs. Thirdly, each region has its own “omiyage” and sometimes, studying why this souvenir is from this region helps me learn a little bit more about the history of the region. Therefore, in Japan, it’s worthwhile to spend a little bit of time in souvenir shops to see if there is something new or something cool.