Omiyage & Me
I've been in Japan for just over three weeks, and I've already received a variety of souvenirs - eight small cookies, one chocolate cake, and a rice cracker. It's like having a snack buffet at my fingertips. For those unfamiliar with Japanese customs, let me share a bit about the tradition of giving souvenirs, or omiyage.
In Japan, it's customary to bring back individually wrapped snacks for everyone in the office after a trip. These are handed out with both hands, to show respect for the recipient, as if to say, "thanks for holding down the fort." It's a neat little piece of culture that often leads to opportunities to chat with your co-workers.
This charming tradition became particularly important when I planned to take my first day off and venture to Tokyo from my small town in Ibaraki. While I wasn't sure if Tokyo was considered far enough to warrant omiyage, I didn't want to take any chances.
With a small army of Google tabs open, researching the ins and outs of omiyage, I thought I was well-prepared. On the last day of my trip, I intended to find a gift shop, ask for recommendations from the staff, purchase some modest snacks (about 30$ CAD worth), and become the office favorite. Little did I know that getting lost (a recurring theme during my trip) would lead me to a well-rated gift shop called Akiba near Akihabara station.
Entering the shop was like stepping into a snack wonderland. Towers of boxes with names I couldn’t read were piled chest high. I’m 6’2 so that’s really saying something. Unsure of the exact number of staff at my school, I needed to find something nice, affordable, and manageable for 70+ people.
After much deliberation, I settled on Banana Manju. I’d seen Tokyo Banana was a popular snack, but I didn’t see it at this store, and it also seemed pretty pricey. But to my sleep deprived brain, this had Banana in the name, so it was practically the same thing. Despite my initial plan going somewhat awry, I bought six boxes, a total of 72 pieces, spending around 50$ CAD - an amount I hoped would show my dedication without breaking the bank.
The first day back at my main school was during their exam period. While I had little to do except sit at my desk and work on lessons two weeks away, the rest of the staff room seemed abuzz. Despite catching a cold after my trip to Tokyo, I focused on staying awake and trying to use my time productively. The exam schedule differed from our usual school days, but as soon as I noticed people pulling out their lunches, I knew it was time.
I gingerly approached my supervisor and mentioned that I had bought some omiyage. I shared how many I had bought and prayed it would be enough. I expected some advice on how to distribute them, maybe a few useful phrases. To my surprise, my supervisor offered to help me hand them out. Worrying as usual about inconveniencing my very busy supervisor, I grabbed my keys and walked to my car to retrieve the snacks.
Ripping off the bright yellow packaging, I double-checked the contents: 12 individually wrapped dumplings inside a sealed bag. Satisfied that this would likely go over well, I brought the big bag back up to the staff room.
After showing the contents to my supervisor, hoping for a silent sign of approval, the distribution process began. We started with the vice principals, they have the largest desks in the back of the staff room. From there, we worked our way down each row, distributing about one box per row. Although I had been practicing Japanese phrases all morning, when the moment arrived, I immediately reverted to a simple, "Excuse me, it's an omiyage," accompanied by a small bow, probably closer to just bobbing my head.
The reactions varied from polite acknowledgments to genuine surprise at this small gift. For teachers who weren't at their desks, I left the snacks for them to discover later. Several of them came by later to thank me for the gifts, some even with very deep, respectful bows.
While I had initially hoped to distribute the gifts more leisurely, allowing for some short conversations in Japanese with teachers I hadn't interacted with yet, this small act of participating in a common Japanese custom felt satisfying. It was as if I had a chance to immerse myself in Japanese culture. I might even be looking forward to the next time I get to pass out some omiyage!
