Japanese Way of Life (Vol. 4)

Present-giving is an ingrained custom of the Japanese Way of Life and it is not restricted to the presents we normally give at birthdays and religious holidays.

I didn't know this so I came to Japan unprepared, while other people in the know had come with ready-wrapped gifts of specialities from their home country. The Japanese particularly appreciate gifts from foreign shores.

When I went on the home stay at Christmas, I had to search long and hard for possible English presents. In the end, I settled for a bar of Cadbury's Fruit and Nuts, some Earl Grey Tea and English jam. On the closer inspections, the Cadbury's chocolate was made in Toronto and the jam was Welsh!

The Japanese are very good at giving presents to say thank you for the present they receive. My host family bought me a set of postcards (from Riku-chan, aka. Damien child), a studying charm from Ise-jingu, and a yukatta, a Japanese summer kimono. They absolutely put my tea, fake chocolate and jam to shame.