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Watch Before Giving Anything to Japanese People
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- Опубліковано 8 січ 2023
- Due to the restrictions finally being relaxed, I see more and more people coming to Japan. However, I often receive messages telling me that they want to prepare gifts for the Japanese people they are going to meet, but are afraid that they might give them something inappropriate. I can understand why you’re worried… Japanese just love rules don’t we? lol
So today, I will introduce five gift-giving taboos in Japan. Also in end, I would like to give you my advice on gifts that I rather recommend.
By watching this video, you will forever be released from the fear of giving gifts to Japanese people and will be able to sleep well at night. If there are any other questions about gift-giving after watching this video,
please let me know in the comments!
And before I start… Although these taboos were introduced in books and websites, in reality, they are not that strictly considered today. In the end, what’s most important is to think about what is best for the person you’re giving the gift to.
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*The content is based on personal studies and experience
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#giftgiving #japaneseculture #presents #gifts
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Are you a Japanese budo martial art lover watching this video? I am now running the best channel for you to learn more about samurai, katana, and budo martial arts from a Kobudo master who is running a 400-year-old Ryuha. Our goal is to achieve 100,000 subscribers by 2023, so please check it out!
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▼The BEST online katana shop for martial arts (Iaido, Kendo, etc.): Tozando▼
tozandoshop.com/letsaskshogo
Everything I use for my katana training is bought at this shop! I still use the first training katana I bought in 2016, and it is still in good shape!
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*Get 15% OFF off all their products by purchasing through my affiliate link
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kindly seel treatment for raunaud outside japan or search more hospital. Either a hand surgeon or Rheumatologist or internal medicine specialist can treat you.or check online consult for a foreneir doctor
My friend, not "sting-y" like the stinger on a bee, but "stin-jy" like "binge-y" like binging Netflix. Hard G, not soft. Thank you for your videos.
please try doing a demon slayer cosplay xd
Is katana sabre or sword? :
Pfff. They make it very difficult.
Example. Don't show me video's. Because I once saw a video wherein someone died. So video's are taboo. See?
With how many taboos are related to funerals, I feel like we just need an overview of the entire funeral ceremony and traditions so that we know everything associated with it.
Most japanese people don't associate it with funerals, though. it's the same kind of idiocy liek you see on the net that claims hospitals have no rooms with 4 in them.
Bad idea, some people might associate such a video with death and funerals, making them feel uncomfortable.
@@zzBaBzz that's true tho, there are some hotels (not all) which don't have number 4
@@alihorda have yet to see anything that doesn't have it. 🤔
@@tmy1065it's probably because they burn incense daily and not only during the mourning period
It seems that the most common theme in this video is "Don't give things that are related to funerals "
My daughter is staying with a Japanese family in her year at Japanese university as part of her degree in Japanese. I sent them a hamper of British food as a gift at Xmas. I hope this was OK. They sent me thankful messages but of course they would even if they hated it
The Japanese love stuff from Britain so I think they probably enjoyed the food.
In the video Shogo clearly states that "something unique to you country" and "something consumable" are ideal gifts to give in Japan, So based on that i'm sure a hamper of British food was a great gift to give.
@@DavidCruickshank At the same time, it's British food so eh.
@@MrLuchenkov which means it's gonna be both high quality and tasty
@@catzkeet4860 High quality and tasty are most definitely the first words that come to mind when one wants to describe British cuisine.
Thank you very much, Shogo.
Notes from Russian culture:
* No yellow flowers or even numbers of flowers
* No knives, though some Asians may appreciate it as they revere the usefulness of the knife
* They appreciate gifts that are cultural to you if you're foreign; "I
I actually gave some tea as a gift to a Japanese colleague in Germany - but it was not just as a gift, but because she had complained she couldn't find decent green tea in town. Since I knew the city was a major trade hub for tea, I couldn't quite believe that, went to a speciality tea store and brought her the best Japanese green tea they had. Not only was it well received, even the Japanese president of the local branch of our company ended up dropping by her office for the occasional cup... So as you say, when there's a specific reason why you pick one or the other thing that might otherwise be taboo, it's perfectly fine
"actually"
And now you're known in the company as "the underteaker"
I remember traveling to Kyoto and asked my calligraphy teacher (85 at the time) if she wanted me to bring something back. She asked if I was going to Uji to bring her back tea. I think because I knew her for so long and because she had a very modern way of thinking, I think it was ok. I once brought flowers to work to brighten up the work space and foolishly brought flowers associated with funerals. I was very embarrassed, but my coworkers and manager insisted it was ok. I never did it again. I also still struggle in what to bring to my Japanese friends.
as long as a gift is asked for, anything's fine.
It's just that the gifts have this meaning if given unprompted.
I'm guessing in Shinto that everything has a spirit, then funerary flowers have a death spirit associated with them??
@@redtobertshateshandles The flower arrangement had white and yellow chrysanthemums in it, which you see at Buddhist funerals. At the time I didn't know, but after attending a few funerals in Japan I noticed them. I've also seen chrysanthemums at Shinto shrines and the emblem or mon of the Imperial Family is the chrysanthemum.
My mom would have problems with the no socks rule. She knits and gives socks to everybody. I think her goal in life is to protect everyone from cold feet 😂🥰
she must be italian or with italian ancestors XD
She sounds adorable
That's wonderful!✨ It's very Southern European. Socks are always useful and makes us warm. It's a great gift!👌
This would be only for her boss, so maybe for him or her she could knit a cap?
@@regnbuetorsk it's also a habbit of elderly ladys in Germany 🥰
They keep everyones feet warm. 🧦🧦🧦
The writing utensil one is surprising. Japan has really unique and high quality pens and other stationery items. I’m a nerd who gets excited about such things, but I would think getting a nice item that you would use often would be appreciated.
I was thinking the same. Japan has a great history of calligraphy.
Same! Japan makes the best art pens. I'd be thrilled to receive any Japanese pens as gifts!
It was mentioned that the writing paraphernalia was specifically taboo to give to superiors. For someone else, it'd probably be fine.
It may be why Platinum has heart shaped breather holes on their large fancy fountain pens, to capture the gift-giving market of people in love to combat the usual implication.
Think of the British band Queen and the song "under pressure". That is what Japanese kids have to put up with at school.
When my parents got married in Tokyo (mom is Japanese), she received a custom-made kitchen knife as a wedding gift, but she appreciated it. She still uses it 40 years later.
Sign me up to take ALL those primo, hand crafted Japanese knives everyone maybe offended by. Pile starts here ----->🤣
It used to be in UK and Canada that if you received a knife or scissors you handed back a money coin to prevent being cut by the knife. This was back before the 1950s. My mother and grandmother always had some coins ready.
@@lilbatz I too will help mend your relationships by accepting your hand forged severing devices.
I'm convinced by your videos that doing anything with a Japanese person will be a taboo in some way
😅
"Three rules for breathing in Japan."
Five tricks of gift giving your Japanese friends don’t want you to know.
I think that applies to any different culture. Jokes would be a great example.
"But do you think we will ever split up?"
Everything about the way you said that was so wholesome and sincere. No, I don't think you will! That picture was so cute. I'm so thrilled that you're both so happy.
It used to be considered bad luck to give knives as a present in the UK. The way to ward off any bad luck was for the recipient to buy them from the giver with a token payment of a low denomination silver coin. This used to be a sixpence but now a 5p piece would suffice.
Same "rule" in Germany as well, just give one cent and you can receive a knife as a present without having bad luck 😉
I did the same in the US back in high school, 1990.
Understanding a culture allows you to be considerate, which is something I love about your vids Shogo.
I am planning on going to Japan in April, and wanted to get a tattoo in Tokyo before I left. Here in the US it's the norm to tip your artist for the work they do, but I know over in Japan that's a much more gray area. So, I thought to bring a jar of hard candies from a candy factory here in Colorado that still makes all their candies by hand and has for over 100 years. I thought that may be a nice, unique, and still easy to pack thank-you gift for the artist and studio. And since it has about 5 different flavors of candy in the jar there's something for everyone to enjoy.
That's a great idea! But you might want to bring individual jars of candy to each person working there, as my Japanese friend has said that they don't really like to share from one bowl/jar. So buying one big bag of candy for everyone usually ends up with no one eating anything, which probably seems odd for us here in the West who are used to sharing. The Japanese seems to like individual portion sizes.
With food gifts, they get stuff in individual small packets. This way everyone takes the same amount, it stays clean, etc. Japanese workers who go on a trip must bring back omiyage gift to colleagues. It is a taste of food in individual packets. If your candies are in individual wrappers then place a few pieces inside small ziplock bags, then inside a box with the branding of the candy store tied with a ribbon or other adornment. One gift I gave and seemed to be a hit were individual packets of Pepperidge Farm cookies. They look pretty because of metallic wrappers. Or go to a warehouse store and pick something cookie or chips lightweight you'd send in a kid's lunchbox. I lived in Japan several years.
Interesting... many years ago I was a farrier in NZ and one of my clients had a Japanese exchange student staying with her. The young lady in question had never seen a horse get shod, including the making of the shoes, and was fascinated. In the course of the job I made an extra, tiny, horse shoe and gave it to her. You'd have thought I had given her something of great value, but in a way I suppose I did because I gave her a bit of my skill/craft, the ability to make a horse shoe from a piece of steel. To me it was a small l gift from my country/culture, and I am sure that she still has it today. I never forgot that young student; she was very pretty and had beautiful manners...a real credit to her parents and her country.
Stayed in Airbnbs last time I visited Japan in late 2018. Thought that I would prepare gifts to show appreciation to the host for the accommodation. I'm from Singapore so decided on chocolates in the shape of a Merlion, that half lion, half fish thing unique to my country. Glad they loved it. Some even responded back via Airbnb to say thanks, which was nice. Looking to do more of the same on my next visit to Japan.😊
When my lovely friend and co worker's mother passed away last year, we at the office knew she was going back to Japan for her family and the funeral. (They are all from Tokyo and she moved to the states awhile back) We all decided the best thing to give our condolences was koden. I bought the koden envelopes online and even sat down with her to discuss how to fold it correctly and fill out the information on it. As an added item with her permission, I wrote a letter expressing our thoughts for a peaceful transition to the afterlife for her mother and that the family would find comfort together during their time of mourning. Her mother followed Shinto beliefs and we added the appropriate kanji to the envelope. She said her family was very touched by it and the added letter from our group at the office meant a lot because it's not something they were expecting.
While losing a loved one is tough, losing a parent, sibling, or child is especially difficult and I'm super glad we could help contribute to the family.
I think socks are comfy and would love them as a gift.
When there is doubt with respect to this in Japan, as is apparently often the case, give the gift of a cube watermelon for more formal gift giving or saki ika for less formal occasions! You and the receiver will be glad you did! They may even share with you straight away, which is the ultimate form of gratitude for such a gift anywhere in the world! Foreign beers, wines and spirits are equally great gifts and may result in sharing, too. 😉😎😋
The first time I visited Japan, over 30 yrs ago, my friend had to work one of the days, leaving me alone with her parents. While the mother was cleaning the house, I asked (read: mimed) permission to take a walk around the neighborhood. She wrote up a note with her contact info in case I got lost, then nervously sent me on my way. I walked a few blocks, then turned down another street where I saw a small market. They didn't have square watermelons back then, but I was aware that watermelons were an appropriate gift. Made it back safely. The watermelon was served as dessert. It was so delicious!
When we had our wedding in Japan we brought Norwegian milk chocolate as omiyage to give everyone who helped us during the wedding. We were also recommended by Japanese friends not to bring anything we made ourselves, even if it was high quality or tasty. It was recommended to always give something new.
honestly so many of these rules cause extra headache and anxiety.. I’ve stopped worrying about them bc there’s only so much you could do and all that worry was taking a toll on my mental health
Give a gift from the heart and if the receiver choses to be insulted it is on them.
I once had a bag of stuff from my country to give to my sister’s Japanese in laws when visiting them in Japan. She is 60 plus. She counted the items and took one out to make it an uneven number of items! She said cannot be even numbers. After that occasion I mentioned it to a young Japanese engineer in my country and he was surprised. He said he didn’t know. So like what you said the younger generation are not so familiar with the customs, or bothered by it.
You speak English so well that sometimes I forget it isn't your native language until you say certain words. In this case it was "stingy". It's pronounced (stin Jee) like Jeep instead of (stin Gee), like a bee. I hope you don't think I'm nit-picking, you've taught me so much about Japanese culture and customs that I just want to give back a little bit of info where I can.
I think these ideas are similar to the rest of Asia. But it's good to know that I have not ever accidentally given an offensive gift.
Rule #1 & #2 are what I follow.
Since I live in Canada and I met majority of my Japanese friends here, I try to bring gifts from Canada just to remind them of their time.
And now they have kids, it's also great gifts (snacks from Canada) so that they can experience something abroad...
What do you usually take? I'm from Canada and was a little stumped about what to give, since I think my relatives have received enough maple syrup to last a lifetime. We've done ice wine, but that gets tired after a while too. And bringing ketchup chips seemed rather cheap.
@@eileennono5039
Laura Secord for chocolates.
I also brought stuff from Timothy's and Tim Hortons
Must get tired of Maple syrupy, Nanaimo bars, and freeze dried poutine.
Maple products are super popular in Japan. You bring those, and they will love you. Haha
@@rattrap316 Laura Secord is out of business.
Maple syrup or Nutella or maybe some snow. Great country Canada.
My Dad has done business with a Japanese company for years and we always give everyone a 1 lbs. box of Sees Candy (it’s a nicer chocolate company from California). The boxes are usually all eaten by the end of the day!
Japanese will eat Sees Candy chocolate because they are polite. Next time bring California wine.
Agreed, wine from california is better especially as a business gift! I bet if your dad did this, some opportunities would open up 😊
@@cap4life1 Thanks for the advice but what my Dad is doing is fine. When I said he’s done business with this company for years I’m talking about literal decades. His company has been doing business with this company since the 60’s-70’s and it’s literally the largest company in his industry in Japan.
For some reason I thought the comb, socks and shoes had something to do with hygiene. I can't explain exactly why. It seems there's an entire coding behind giving gifts in Japan. Yet, what a great nation! I live in Brazil, 2.3 million Brazilians are of Japanese descent. It's the largest population outside of Japan.
Shogo, in Iceland it is also taboo to give knives as a gift, probably so the same reason. I don't know of any other taboo there. I lived in Greece and I don't recall any gift taboos there, but many years ago on my first time there, it was not polite to compliment decor items such as a vase, as the owner would have to offer it to you as a gift immediately. This happened to me so I learned not to compliment such items.
Well, I learned something new today! Although, I think I am pretty safe - I don't think it would have ever considered giving someone a comb as a gift! ☺
A friend of my mother visited Japan some decades ago, and seemingly stumbled into a similar but inverted faux pas by complimenting a framed kimono on the wall of their house.
It was a beautiful piece that had been in their family for at least three generations, and to her horror the family *insisted* on giving the kimono to her after she said how lovely it was. The mother of the family took it down and began folding it as a gift right in front of her.
I'm told she tried to deny it repeatedly, since it was very important to the family and easily worth thousands of dollars, but they wouldn't take no for an answer and seemed insulted when she tried to deny the gift.
Mortified though she may have been, she has at least given the kimono the respect it deserved. It's now framed in her living room, just as it was in theirs.
To this day my mother is still scared of complimenting any of a Japanese family's possessions.
I don't know anything about the family this happened with beyond that, but it sounds like a more traditional one... I'd be horrified too if I admired someone's family heirloom and then they felt obligated to give it to me - it belongs with them, surely!
Do you think they wanted to get rid of it or just did it to be polite?
@@jblife123 It was a family heirloom.
It was more like they were compelled under some ancient law of hospitality their guests had no knowledge of.
@@DerpsWithWolves 😲
new intro? I love it.
I recently read a novel by Kawabata Yasunari, in which the two main characters gifted each other a vase and a shino cup (things that could break). By the end the paths of the characters separate. Were the gifts symbolic foreshadowing? Or does the rule exclusively apply to wedding gifts?
Shoes are considered a gift giving taboo in my culture too, because the person could walk out of your life. However, there is a loop hole: The person who receives the shoes has to pay a symbolic amount of money like 1 cent. This way the shoes are no longer a gift.
I've read about paying 1 cent being done in the past in places like Canada and the US when giving a knife as a gift.
@@barbaramelone1043 I've heard that, too, but only one time, from a friend getting married. (U.S.)
Omg it's so complicated :|
But after thiking about it, I figured which gift I could give to people in Japan. MAPLE SYRUP!! I'm from Canada so maple syrup is definitely something unique from my country. And it's edible! Problem solved! Note to myself: if I ever travel to Japan, bring tons of maple syrup in my luggage!
I took maple candy as a gift once when visiting in-laws in Scotland. (I'm in the U.S., and my husband grew up in Canada.) Similar thinking about something from my culture that's consumable. I also remembered that my aunt was so impressed by the autumn colors in Ontario when she visited her sister there. And the sugar maple is a big piece of the Fall color palette.
That sounds very nice, as long as there isn't a hassle with agricultural products through Japanese customs (maybe syrup, as a heat processed product that could not be parasite infested, is ok, but check it out). Maybe plastic bottles, if available, would make sense as something that cannot break, too.
Little hint for Americans: The online currency converter that I used on January 9, 2023 said that 20,000 yen is about equal to $150.00.
Yeah, I saw that number, did the rough math in my head several times, then went to an online converter, then went back to the video to triple check that I heard it right.
I would be crazy to ask everyone bring $150 cash as a wedding gift in the US.
oh about the cutlery; in Sweden we have a sort of taboo against giving "sharp weapons" as gifts, so any knifes fall under this too. I don't know about every part of our country, but at least for my family and acquittances we usually give somebody a coin that they then use to "buy" the gift that is a sharp weapon (ironically, this also mean butter knifes that are completely blunt). I believe it's because it's considered bad luck/omen to give somebody a weapon, as if you are inviting them misfortune that require them to have a weapon to protect themselves with.
Even things like swiss army knifes we do this "custom" with, but again that might just be something that my family and the people around us do.
Oh my, giving a knife is a big taboo in many cultures, also, because of cutting the relationship....
mistake on the thumbnail it's gift-giving.
thanks for your hard work
In Finland giving a knife as a gift has traditionally been thought to cause a quarrel between the giver and the recipient. But this is a rather old way of thinking, and I only learned about it when buying an ornate paper knife for a gift from a goldsmith's. The lady helping me adviced that I must ask for a small coin in exchange from the recipient. That way the knife wouldn't be an actual gift but something they bought from me and therefore wouldn't cause quarrel between us.
a lot of older people in the USA do not give knives as gifts or they make you pay a penny for the gift. Has to do with giving you something you can harm yourself with even as an accident.
While watching this, all I can do was mutter, "There's so many things that're a no-no. Just give em food." And then, I saw your recommended list of gifts. XD We also have our own superstitions when it comes to gifts (such as giving a handkerchief to a girl as a present is equivalent to sending an ill-wish that she'll live her life with a lot of grief (hanky = wiping tears) and a similar belief when it comes to knives for the newlyweds), but not as many as what you've named.
I always gift rice with milk and a hug after unexpectedly showing up to their house and then ask them to go out and have some fun. 👍
Most of these kept making me laugh. They can be so hilariously asinine. It feels like for some of these gifts they're really stretching what is and isn't offensive, and typically basing it on superstition.
Great video though, I would have NEVER guessed that some of these things were taboo. Thanks Shogo!
Hee, the giving knives 'taboo' is something I grew up with, too, in Boston, (Though it's more an unlucky thing than an insult/taboo, really.) ...But the 'bad luck' is easily averted by paying the giver like a penny or some other token amount so it's technically 'buying.' :)
Yes! I was checking to see if anyone had said this! When my father gifted me my first pocket knife as a rite of passage there was a shiney penny in the box as well, which he instructed me to give back to him to "buy" the knife so it wouldn't sever our relationship.
@@MayonnaiseJane That's the idea. :)
This video has me in fits 🤣🤣 I need to find a white, breakable handkerchief scented like tea, sharp like a knife, that keeps time and can be written with, all while keeping your hair in place, in even numbers while wrapped up in spirit money and thrown into an old, abandoned shoe found at a trainstation platform. At least I know the perfect gift to express how foreign I am 🤣
To think I mostly gave beef jerky as presents. That gift always went over well. 😁
"When in doubt, stick with snacks" is a principal I live by ~
great video shogo as always I love it. Also I want to wish you the best of luck treating your condition I think its very important to give you all my prayers and care that you overcome it and for your health. we all love your videos and your amazing and always have an amazing presence. Take care Shogo.
I love how helpful you are! You are a Japanese enthusiast's best friend!
Thanks Shogo. You are an excellent source for information needed.
This was actually fun and educational to watch!
This was really interesting! Thank you so much for making and sharing
Thank you. It was very useful as it also makes us think about giving gifts in general, worldwide!
Very informative, as always. Thanks very much for continued videos!
Thank you very much , Shogo for this information ) 😉👍🏻
Most enlightening. I remember many years whilst at design school we were visited by the head of Sony design who participated in a critique for gifts in the Japanese market. I suppose i satisfied most requirements of the assignment but he was particular about the cost and presentation of the packaging. I had used copper wire, sourced from stripped electrical cable found as scrap to tie the model together. He with great clarity and sensitivity suggesting that wire was too valuable making it less than appropriate. He understood that it cost me nothing but for packaging of this purpose and style of product less was more.
I guess it would have been seen as a waste of the wire?
@@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648 The wire itself is not the problem. Many cheap ubiquitous products are made of wire i.e. shopping trolleys. Copper was perceived as too valuable. Check the market. It probably should have been a baser material, say a lighter gauge coat hanger wire. Something that could be discarded with little guilt.
@@clivebroadhead4857 i guess because copper is not a metal found readily in Japan, and something that has always been imported, thus making it historically expensive? I can kinda see that.
For the comb my first thought was that maybe you're implying that the person receiving it is untidy and you think they don't have a comb to take care of their hair. Which is also not nice but better than saying "die!"
Wah so lucky! I'm seeing this video BEFORE going shopping! Thank you so much!
This is so interesting, thank you! That said I was laughing a bit here when you said a positively considered gift would be toilet paper - I think in my country giving toilet paper as a gift no matter for what occasion (and no matter how high quality) would be like the ultimate insult =)
Another thing is the socks: in many European countries, fathers and grandfathers get socks every single year from their families for birthdays or Christmas - mostly if people simply don't really care about each other and what would be an individually nice gift for the person. So many fathers and gradnfathers get socks, or ties every single year.
Yes, toilet paper here is considered a joke gift you do as a teen to prank your friends XD
Buying socks and other clothes for men is real here in Finland. My father seldom if ever buys himself clothes, so the women in the family gift him them when they have a chance, otherwise he would walk in holey clothes (which he still does). His father also wore his clothes to bits. When he died, he left behind unused shirts, still in packaging.
I remember my brother gave me paper towels as a raspberry.
I’ve found that almost everyone loves tea. I’ve received it a lot as a gift and my Japanese friends and co-workers love to receive it. (Maybe my area is different because we’re a little famous for tea and every city has a different brand 😅)
In my culture you have what you are given and be grateful for it 😊
This was extremely useful. Thank you so much. 🙏😊
Well received Shogo! Thanks🌞
I have watched this video several times… It is really great. So impressive build quality 😮
Thank you for this, Shogo! Now I can give my friends presents without being rude!
Thank you for the tips! I feel better now about the gifts I gave as they were all Japanese sweets from places I had visited.
This reminds me of the time I gave a gift of some Australian Red Wine to a traditional hostel as a thank you for having me,I had identified myself as an Australian and I did make sure it was from close to were I was from in Australia . I’m very glad to see I didn’t offend them with it.
Pleasant and informative. Thank you!
These taboos make sense with me. It seems i can understand a bit more than i thought. Cool!
It seems some of those taboos rubbed off in People from Latin America or at least Colombia, because my Mom Also had the Taboo to not receive or give gifts as Knives or Handkerchiefs or Glass Cups and such...when she wanted to give knives to my grandma she did not gift them, she sold them at a very low ridiculous price like a cent or such XD.
The best gift I gave a Japanese friend was a Japanese to English dictionary of swear words. "I'm learning so much English!" she said.
何時もありがとうございます！！
When my Oba-san and I were staying with family in Japan, my mom sent handmade doilies (she crocheted a lot back then) for our relatives, and they were absolutely thrilled.
So handmade items are always appreciated as well
Imo while japanese culture has some distinct rules, many assumptions related to gifts can be found in any culture, especially when relationships are superficial. In america, giving a comb/brush could also be negatively associated (as in "you aren't taking care of yourself well").
It just proves again that no matter the culture, knowing a person and talking to them is key.
Having lived in Japan for 6 years now, my coworkers and supervisors have given me some of the things you mentioned. Overall, whenever I try to participate in the culture, they're happy I'm making the effort. Otherwise, I just give them homemade sweets or omiyage whenever I travel.
thank you very much. kampai and a very happy new year shogo and friends
Personally, I think this stuff is fascinating. A lot of them actually make sense from a historical point of view. I think what's more impressive is that some of the taboo's are still considered taboo's despite modern culture and the hundreds or thousands of years that have passed since the tradition began. That's amazing.
So interesting! So glad I discovered your channel. 😊 I just started learning Japanese because I’ve always loved the way it sounded and the rich culture behind the language. It was surprising that, as a native Spanish speaker, the Japanese pronunciation came easier to me than I anticipated, specially after having learned English, haha, the writing system is really challenging, though, and has lots to memorize, but it’s so incredibly rewarding and fun to learn. I get very excited when I finally recognize a word in hiragana (I’m still learning the hiragana). I feel like memorizing kanjis, whenever I get to it, is going to help with strengthening my memory muscles too!
Once I’m more confident in my Japanese, I’d love to visit Japan and use my new skills, for now, I’ll keep watching your channel! I hope everyone is having a lovely day!
Giving Fruits or Food is Ok, Homemade stuff is appreciated, but be sure to do something tasty. Alcohol is Ok too If the person Drinks. once you realize the rules it is kinda logical and straightforward, Simplicity is best XD.
Very informative. Thank you.
After years in Japan I still struggle with お年玉 people care so much about how much you give, if you give too much they feel forced to give too much, if they have less kids it feels like you want them to take advantage, if they have more they feel they are taking advantage.
It's like come on its just money for the kids don't overthink it.
I'm moving to Japan in April, so this is helpful, thanks.
Loving the new intro 🔥🔥
Interesting to hear you talk about Cutlery/Knives being taboo as gifts. My background is English/French and I was taught exactly the same thing....NEVER give a knife as a gift because it runs the risk of severing the relationship. Like you I think the younger generations aren't so concerned with silly superstitions like this.
Not giving anything is rude. Giving anything is also rude. Every time you try to do anything the universe gets divided by zero. That's basically japan in a nutshell. Truly, a country of contrasts.
Why do I find no problem with it. It just takes putting a little bit of thought into it.
$25 gift card to their favourite store
International gifts
Who gives socks or shoes to anyone outside of their family?
The glass/ceramics I really wonder if that isn't more along the line of "I'm running out of cupboard space". Seriously, I got 6 coffee mugs from extended family this year. I don't need coffee mugs.
Tea didn't surprise me, but the reason for it did. As a habitual tea drinker myself it's not really something I'd want to receive, because well what if I get a tea I don't like or even actively dislike? It would really suck having to either throw away the tea, tell them to keep the gift, or suck it up and drink a bad tea. It's annoying enough when it happens with a tea I bought myself, but at least then it was my fault. I'd rather get to choose my teas myself. The exception is of course if they know it's a tea you like, I've given teas to people I'd know would like those types of teas myself.
Also I can share the feeling of being pressured to offer gifts of equal value. At the end of my stay I did a 3 week hitchhiking trip through Japan and as a thank-you I always offered small gifts(usually snacks) that I had picked up at my previous destinations. But a lot of the kind drivers showered me in gifts thrice the amount, or invited me to eat at the service stations or even gifted me practical objects like a brand new cooling towel to keep me from overheating (it was august and between 35 and even almost 40 degrees C). I really did not know how to possibly repay their kindness.
It is fun to see knife-problem as a gift in so many countries 😂 In Slovakia we have it too. It is (or was) taboo to gift any sharp pointy things (that can be use to stab somebody) or sharp blade of any kind. It is considered to cut relationships or bring bad luck. But this is slowly fading. Only older generation will give you at least one cent back, so technically it will be not a gift but still considered as kind move from your side as a gift.
And also, if you want to give flowers as a gift, do not use even numbers, as this is used at funerals. We say that you can share happiness but still need at least one piece of it to keep for yourself, as happiness is something that fuels your life (uneven numbers), but you need to share all of your grievance (even numbers) otherwise it may kill you (to grieve on your own). So even numbers of flowers as a gift mean that you should share you happiness and nothing will be left to you.
We do not distinguish special flowers for funerals and other occasions, this depends on “mood” of bouquet. Just tell florist the occasion (like: birthday, woman, 35 years), they will know what flowers and colours to choose that will be the most appropriate. And they will also ask if there are any flowers the person like, so they can include them and make it more personal.
The only occasion you can gift even number of flowers are special birthdays (like 20, 30, …). Sometimes friends or co-workers decide to share bouquet and they buy just one big bouquet e.g. of 50 red highlevel roses (so the bouquet is pretty expensive gift on its own ).
thanks again!! :)
とても有用でした！ありがとうございます、しょご先生！
When it comes to the older set yes and sweets a very nice gifts as well😊🌸
I don't find it tiresome, but interesting and poetic. Thank you so much for these explanaitons.
Oooh, new intro! Nice!
Most gift taboos are the same as here in Lithuania. The old generation is quite superstitious here too.
thank you, very well done sir..
I knew Incense was going to be amongst the recommended gifts! It's funny because in my country it would be a taboo gift, being something that you burn during funerals
Everyone hates receiving socks as a gift. You guys only went one step further and made it an official rule, which is something I compliment you for.
The idea that it is a form of communication is very interesting.
Could you do a video of some go-to gifts for people who are getting married, having children, graduating, have a promotion, holidays when you're obligated (like an office setting) etc?
Right timing on making this video, will visit Japan at 29th of January and meet my sensei there, i prepared some Indonesian Batik Clothes and Balinese Barong Clothes for her
It's so amusing to me to see a culture that has found so many ways to be offended by acts of kindness. I mean no disrespect, I think this is all very fascinating and I am thankful for you sharing all of this information. I guess I can see how one can find a lot of pride in being part of a culture that has many esoteric rules that are difficult for outsiders to understand. Some of these rules do lead to a culture of respect that I think a lot of other cultures could stand to imitate.
No, the culture is beautiful and the people in my personal experience are exceptionally giving and kind. And would either chuckle or just be honored that you thought of them enough to offer a kindness of a gift.
I did however live in Okinawa and not main land so it might be a bit different.
But honestly… the most wonderful, kindest, people. The entire social system and rules there seems to be based on consideration and common sense more than anything,
@@kelleywyskiel8513 Oh for sure, I don't mean to demean Japanese people in general. I know they tend to be very kind and polite. I just find it funny that they have all these esoteric social rules that a well-meaning person can so easily run afoul of.
My dad was Polish and believed a knife could be given as a wedding gift if you put a coin in the package. He also believed it was bad luck to buy ones self a belt. I wish I had a clue what was behind those beliefs.
I'm Polish and I can tell you. Men often use belt to hang themselves. My father found more practical use. Spanking. It worked, but only temporary. I would always find some new way to get in trouble. My son is 26 and I never hit him. Love and communication work much better.
@@lesp315 Do you know anything about the knife and the coin? So sorry you were spanked, especially with a belt. Glad you didn't do the same to your son.
@@davevanfunk8917 I don't know what the deal is about a knife and a coin.