Vacation and Business Trip Gifts "Always Prepared"... Omiyage Culture [Nichiyobi Nichibunka]

Starting from the Edo Period... Established as a Culture of Castle Markings
Centered on Local Specialties... Popular in Korea with Yakgwa and More

When traveling abroad, one common dilemma at duty-free shops is whether to buy something for the office as well. When you have close senior colleagues or coworkers, it’s natural to buy with a happy heart and share it while chatting about your vacation. But when it’s just among ourselves, you start to worry about the neighboring departments, and you don’t want to come off as bragging about your trip.

How about in Japan? The answer is clear. Whether it’s a business trip or any other trip, once you return, you buy something to bring back. The gifts bought at this time are called "Omiyage (お土産)." Today, we will introduce the culture of Omiyage in Japan.

Usually, Omiyage refers to local specialties purchased when traveling to another region for business or vacation. There is even an Omiyage Society in Japan, and their characteristics are as follows: ▲ Items obtained through travel (such as vacation) ▲ Given to a third party ▲ Accompanied by information transmission ▲ Items with regional uniqueness. The society received many inquiries such as "Does a gift given to myself not count as Omiyage?" or "Can shells or stones picked up at tourist spots be considered Omiyage?" which led them to establish these 'criteria.'

The basic concept is: "I went on vacation or a business trip, and since this is famous in that area, I bought it. Please have one," and then you give it to coworkers or friends. It’s rare to see someone buying several boxes to distribute; usually, individually wrapped snacks are handed out one by one. From the perspective of generous Koreans, you might think, "At least one box per person, how can I just give a small piece..." but it’s more about a taste and a gesture of sincerity.

Illustration of a student buying omiyage after a school trip. (Photo by Irastoya)

Omiyage also has deep historical roots. The kanji characters mean local products from the region. In Japanese, the kanji is pronounced "Tosan," but the reason it’s called Omiyage is different.

The Omiyage culture was established during the Edo period. At that time, the bucket list for commoners was to visit Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture. Ise Shrine is considered sacred because it enshrines Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and ancestor of the Japanese imperial family.

Back then, it was costly for commoners to travel to and from there, and there was also a belief that evil spirits roamed outside the village, so people could not wander freely. Depending on the village, representatives for the Ise Shrine pilgrimage were chosen by lottery or by selecting the bravest and strongest person. The villagers all gave money to the representative and asked them to pray for their wishes on their behalf.

Since they gave money, they wanted proof that the representative had visited Ise Shrine to show others. The origin of Omiyage comes from "Miyage (宮?)" which referred to talismans sold at shrines attached to wooden plaques. The "ke" in Miyake means a container, and receiving it was thought to be like bringing back the divine power. So, villagers bought Miyake on behalf of everyone at the shrine and brought it back, which was the beginning of Omiyage.

However, as more people gathered or more requests came in, it became impossible to bring all these items personally. So, convenient items started to develop near the shrine, such as rice cakes and dumplings, which were easy to carry. Buying these became the current form of Omiyage. Today, Omiyage is firmly established as gifts given to coworkers, neighbors, and friends.

Ishiya's Shiroi Koibito, ranked number one in Japan's Omiyage ranking. (Photo by Ishiya)

So, what do Japanese people usually buy as Omiyage? Looking at famous Omiyage by region, according to a 2021 LINE survey, the number one was Shiroi Koibito biscuits from Hokkaido. Second was Yatsuhashi from Kyoto, a wagashi made of thin rice flour dough filled with red bean paste. It can be baked like senbei or eaten as a mochi-like texture, with the mochi form being especially popular. Third was Momiji Manju from Hiroshima, shaped like maple leaves; fourth was Castella from Nagasaki; and fifth was Tokyo Banana. These are not very different from what tourists buy in Korea. Individually wrapped items that are easy to share are definitely popular.

There are also Omiyage that Japanese people buy when visiting Korea and returning home. In the past, it was said that seaweed or coffee mix was enough as gifts for Japanese people, but after the pandemic and with the increase of tourists in their 20s and 30s, this formula seems to have changed. Popular snacks bought include Yakgwa, Cham Bungeoppang, Honey Butter Almonds, Honey Butter Chips, Kkobuk Chips, and Chaltteok Pie.

Interior photo of 'Myeongdong Mart, a great place to buy omiyage' introduced to Japanese tourists visiting Korea. Korean snacks are displayed. (Photo by Seoul Nabi)

In fact, this culture might seem excessive to some. However, Omiyage also has an enormous economic impact by promoting local specialties. Each region has at least one specialty product. Honestly, it was disappointing that Korean Omiyage bought by Japanese people rarely featured regional specialties. I hope that, just as Tokyo is associated with Tokyo Banana, many representative products from Seoul and other regions will emerge that foreigners can get excited about.