Souvenir vs. Omiyage

These souvenirs are called omiyage, and they usually refer to food and drinks. In English, a souvenir is something that you buy when taking a trip, to either give as a present or keep for yourself. In Japanese, however, an omiyage is always something that you give to others after returning from your trip. Of course, Japan isn’t the only country with this custom, but there might be more unwritten rules involved than in other cultures.

The Endless Variety of Local Flavors

Because this is such common knowledge, it’s almost considered bad manners to visit another prefecture and return without bringing one of that prefecture’s meibutsu as an omiyage.

At the same time, it’s also a convenient way to guide people on what to eat when they travel. At first, it might not seem very impressive to have a few meibutsu per prefecture, but if you’ve ever traveled in Japan, you’ll know that this unlocks a whole food-oriented rabbit hole as soon as you set foot in another region.

Take Aomori Prefecture, for example. Besides its many apple markets and apple shops, it also has famous apple pie, apple juice, apple jam, apple jellies, apple gummies, apple cookies, apple ice cream, apple-flavored potato chips, apple sauce, apple-flavored nihonshu, cider, chocolate-covered apple chips, apple mochi—anything you can imagine. You’ll even see apple designs on the streets, in shops, on clothing and accessories, on buses and taxis—there are apple statues everywhere! Naturally, these omiyage can be bought almost anywhere, and when a prefecture’s meibutsu is a fruit or vegetable, it’s also common to ship fresh produce by cooled transport to anywhere in Japan.

The Convenience and Spirit of Omiyage

Although it might seem slightly goofy sometimes, the omiyage custom is a great way to encourage people to try many varieties of meibutsu and buy matching gifts to take home. Because domestic travel is so common in Japan, bringing food or drinks is easier—and perhaps more popular—than souvenirs such as keychains in other countries.

It’s also cheaper to buy a big box of individually packed snacks to share at your workplace than to give everyone a keychain or magnet. That’s another typical thing about omiyage: they’re designed to be shared. They are always individually wrapped and nicely packed in a sturdy, beautiful box—strong enough to transport and impressive enough to present to your family, friends, or coworkers. You can usually buy boxes with 6, 8, 12, 18, or 24 items, making them convenient for groups of any size.