Japanese Omiyage Culture

The Omiyage literally means “earth product”, and this is a typical gift from a region that is brought back to friends, family and coworkers, after returning home from a trip. It is much more than souvenirs, the Omiyage is a regional specialty such as sweets, cake, snacks or traditional crafts and is serious business if one returns home or office with nothing brought from a trip.
In Japan, Omiyage is an institution. At all stations, tourist spots, there are Omiyages shops, with beautifully wrapped and colorful boxes.
On your next trip after visiting the various shrines and temples of the place you will be, your trip will be completed after a pit-stop at an Omiyage shop so you can pick out gifts for your family, friends or coworkers.
Our favorites are the Tokyo Banana, Maccha in Kyoto, any Glico products in Osaka, the Akafuku Mochi in Ise, the Kobe Pudding and the Shiroi Koibito in Sapporo.
And of course, really popular right now with tourists and Japanese people alike, the Kit-kat.