Omiyage is the serious business of gift giving in Japan and was brought to Hawaii with the early immigrants who came here to work. Once the tradition is ingrained in you, it's very difficult to not do it.
Whenever you go to visit someone far way (even to another island) you need to bring some kind of gift from your corner of the world. The last time we went to Japan, one suitcase was filled with gifts for our loved ones there. And yet, we ended up feeling we didn't bring enough to make up for all the care and expense that was showered on us.
This tradition of omiyage has translated into other facets of local Hawaii culture. I've had to learn the nuances of local gift giving and it hasn't been super easy after being away for 35 years. When you attend a party of friends, oftentimes little bags of prettily wrapped gifts are given to everybody. They're not necessarily expensive things, but it's fun or delicious. When you go on a trip, you often bring things back for friends. I'll bet Trader Joes makes a ton of money from people returning to Hawaii. These kitchen cloths are a favorite item for me to bring back because it's light and a really great cloth.
I confess I've gotten to enjoy the custom, though it taxes my brain to think of what to bring back from a trip for friends, neighbors, relatives. There's nothing more frustrating than taking a trip to Japan and bringing back things in your suitcase that you later find sold at the neighborhood Asian market.
Taking this one step further, I've noticed local people sometime bringing little gifts like pens, candy, cookies to give to local guides and personnel when we're on a group tour. We did bring a bunch of tiny packets of chocolate macadamia nuts when we went to South East Asia recently. We gave them away just to bring a smile to anyone who helped us.
Though at times, omiyage giving can become a burden, the nice feeling it produces is well worth the effort.
If you were doing this tradition, what would you bring from your part of the country?
Whenever you go to visit someone far way (even to another island) you need to bring some kind of gift from your corner of the world. The last time we went to Japan, one suitcase was filled with gifts for our loved ones there. And yet, we ended up feeling we didn't bring enough to make up for all the care and expense that was showered on us.
I confess I've gotten to enjoy the custom, though it taxes my brain to think of what to bring back from a trip for friends, neighbors, relatives. There's nothing more frustrating than taking a trip to Japan and bringing back things in your suitcase that you later find sold at the neighborhood Asian market.
Taking this one step further, I've noticed local people sometime bringing little gifts like pens, candy, cookies to give to local guides and personnel when we're on a group tour. We did bring a bunch of tiny packets of chocolate macadamia nuts when we went to South East Asia recently. We gave them away just to bring a smile to anyone who helped us.
Though at times, omiyage giving can become a burden, the nice feeling it produces is well worth the effort.
If you were doing this tradition, what would you bring from your part of the country?
That is a tough one, but I think that postcards with pictures of some of Washington's wonderful mountains might do it. What a nice tradition! It explains why the colleague from Japan who visited us at the office always brought us something. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, anyone from Japan would always remember to bring something back for everyone. It's ingrained in us (even though we were brought up in Hawaii).
DeleteI'm from Ohio and might bring Buckeye candy or Ohio maple syrup. (It would be an expensive gift!).
ReplyDeleteHi Kay! I've been reading your recent posts with my coffee this morning. I too took thousands of pictures on the trip we just returned from. I know how much work is involved in trying to track info down about the photos one takes! I'm developing the habit of taking snaps of information as I go: street names, inscriptions on sculptures, maps. I'll bet that you will enjoy your photo books! thanks for the tip on making smoothies in blenders ~ I've been doing it wrong too. Gifts ~ It's a lovely idea. I can't think of something that works for everyone, so I guess it would depend on who was to receive the gift: Colorado wildflower seeds for a gardner, Colorado jigsaw puzzle for a puzzle lover, something Broncos for a football fan, newly minted pennies from the Denver Mint for a kid's piggybank. I love the idea of giving something useful. Your header has me longing to return to Hawaii! I'd bring my Colorado friends chocolates covered macadamia nuts for sure! Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteWe always take a lot of photos of signs in front of whatever important site we're looking at or signs with information. I then paraphrase it in the photo books we create. It was agony to create the book, but I sure do love looking at it now.
DeleteVery Interesting. The practice of reciprocity goes by many names, or so wrote the French sociologist Marcel muses, who wrote The Gift. That's Muese, I think, not whatever auto correct made it. Nice story Kay. What would I give? Oh don't tempt me.
ReplyDeleteMy son struggles with it every time he comes to Hawaii from D.C.
DeleteThe kitchen towels look like the perfect omiyage, light and easy to pack in the suitcases. The worst kinds are those heavy in weight. Funny, these past two years, we found ourselves lugging jars of cookie butter from Trader Joe's home (had to be checked in or would be confiscated if packed as carry on) and lup cheong from the casino gift shop. Since we don't have free check in baggage, it was a packing nightmare. We have to be smarter this year and bring home only lightweight gifts. I will definitely be on the lookout for those towels at Trader Joe's. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteL...w
I brought a couple of those cookie butter things back once and WOW! was it ever heavy. I remember seeing a big sign in front of those kitchen towel things at the Las Vegas Trader Joes that said something like, "Hawaii's favorite omiyage to bring home."
DeleteWhen we go to Honolulu to visit, the Anahola Granola is good to give (except that since Costco carries it, everyone in the world can probably get it). When we go to Japan, since tips are not accepted, we bring cans of macadamia nuts or coffee to give out, and I have a jeweler who has cute little pendants of rubber slipper, pineapples, stuff like that, that we give out to service providers who have helped us. We also have the Kauai Nut Roasters company on Kauai -- awesome, flavorful blends of mixed nuts, not currently available at Costco, so that's another good omiyage. We're always limited by space in our luggage and weight, though, like all other people who fly!
ReplyDeleteThose Anahola granolas were really fabulous! Thank you so much for bringing them. You guys are just too generous!
DeleteOur China tour company told us that they would tip Japan guides, and we pay a lump sum to the tour company to do so. They even said we can leave a couple of dollars in our rooms which is something new because I didn't think you were supposed to. This is weird. What I do occasionally is leave a small token (package of chocolate macadamia nuts) for them. Cans of macnuts are good, but our relatives there aren't too partial to them. They do like Big Island Candy cookies or Honolulu Cookie Company cookies.
Our relatives in Japan are more into healthy things so they prefer food like dried cranberries and blueberries which are heavy, but we're happy to bring it knowing they like it. They also like Kisses candy. Not sure why, but they do. We've also brought Coach things from the Outlet (shudder! expensive!). One time mom insisted that Kona abalone was what all the tourists were buying to bring back. They were shockingly expensive, but we brought some. Big mistake since we saw tons of similar type seafood which they could easily get there. The surefire is always Kona coffee. 100%!!! They know the difference.
I think its a wonderful tradition and we were introduced to this from our exchange student from Japan, she came with one suitcase filled with treasures, everytime she came back to see us, ( three times), I would bring Maple syrup or maple syrup candies, we have given them many times as gifts to friends far away,
ReplyDeleteYou are very generous! Maple syrup costs an arm and a leg.
DeleteKay, it's difficult question I believe I would bring traditional cookies from my region.
ReplyDeletePerfect!
DeleteI'm thinking about this right now, what to bring for English friends this fall. I haven't come up with the right one yet.
ReplyDeleteI had many Japanese students over the years and was always amazed at the amount, and expense, of things they would bring. I have some beautiful things in my house that their parents gave me as teacher gifts for helping them to learn English.
I know, I know. Sigh... Our Japanese friends always bring such generous gifts that we're awed and worried about how we can possibly repay them.
DeleteAnother reason to love this state. : )
ReplyDeleteWhat a great question. Maple syrup, of course. Or, little maple candies.
ReplyDeleteAnything created with blueberries--we grow wonderful ones in southwestern Michigan.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! Absolutely! I LOVE Michigan blueberries. We used to go and pick them by the bucket fulls a long time ago. Sigh....
Deletei do this all the time. i give people maple syrup or maple cream. you could always bring back the asian kitkats. they have such cool flavors that you can't get here! from hawaii, i always brought back coated macadamias and coconut syrup!
ReplyDeleteSigh... We already have those Asian Kitkats at the market here. Mostly strawberry, dark chocolate and macha tea though. I guess if it's something really exotic, I might try it. That's an idea.... :-)
DeleteRaisins would be an edible gift since we are the raisin capital of the world. As for 'stuff,' I might take miniature California 'charms.'
ReplyDeleteA friend returning here from Japan, brought me some wonderful fabric. Local....I don't know. Perhaps a sea shell charm.
ReplyDeleteSome local handicraft perhaps.
ReplyDeleteFar flung family appreciate maple syrup or apples/cider in season. The maple syrup is getting prohibitively expensive. Note cards with a maple leaf on the front work for me.
ReplyDeleteFilthy Farmgirl soap! Made on the Big Island. People love it, easy to pack, and it makes your packed belongings smell wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWow! I haven't even heard of this, but it sounds great! I might have to bring it back for people on Oahu when we go to visit the Big Island.
DeleteCan you ever ask tough questions! I have trouble finding something for myself! I'm sure the giver gets as much pleasure from this tradition as the receiver of the gift.
ReplyDeleteKona Coffee makes a nice "thank you" to someone far away
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu-side
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= <3
It's what we often bring, but have you seen how much 100% Kona is these days? The price seems to have almost doubled.
DeleteI come from a very crafty area so I would bring something from a local craftsman.
ReplyDeleteIf someone watches my house while I'm toodling in Kansas, I like Grandma Hoerner's big chunk applesauce, and other jams and goodies. Yep, there's a website, and the pumpkin butter is wonderful. It's hard to transport KC barbeque and steaks from the local steak restaurants, but it's on guests "must do" lists when in K.C. I love sending the "Maui Gold" pineapples from "Take Home Maui" to folks in the Midwest, and usually buy a box of papayas. They've done nicely for many years. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteI'd almost want to take a trip to Kansas just to get that Grandma Hoerner's Big Chunk applesauce. That is the best applesauce we've EVER had!
DeleteWhoa... those pineapples are so expensive to bring back to the mainland. I've never brought the papayas. The only reason we've brought pineapples on occasion is because Art has a cousin who worked for Dole and could get it at a much reduced price.
I try to think of things like cadbury chocolate bars and nestle chocolates that are not readily available in the United States, if I am visiting the United States.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of anything I'd bring from South Carolina, but I certainly wouldn't bring one of those awful confederate flags the idiots embarrass our state with.
ReplyDeleteThe best things from my state have to be seen and experienced. Starbucks coffee, Frangos or Seattle chocolates, Aplets and Cotlets come to mind as THINGS to give that are local.
ReplyDeleteFrangos are from Seattle? I didn't know that. I used to love Frangos when Marshall Fields (now Macy's) sold them in Chicago.
DeleteI remember my trip to Japan for meetings and trying to pack my suitcase with lots of little gifts (hard to find ones that did not say made in China!) and not too expensive since it all had t come out of my own pocket. I once brought decks of cards with photos of Washington monuments on them and that was a big hit.
ReplyDeleteIn India every state has some small unique souvenirs of their own..so its not very difficult..the state I belong to gifts a traditional hand made white cotton towel with red borders and red flowers on one side of it..it is known as 'gamosha'..It is gifted to show ones love and respect..so I always bring the gamosha as a token of love from my land..
ReplyDeleteWherever I travel, I look for tea towels for friends' kitchens. With local things on them, like Australian animals. Or here, I stocked up on Sea of Galilee scenes on the towel. They are useful, light, usually not too expensive, and last forever.
ReplyDeleteMrs. H always said to go into a small local hardware store and find gadgets they don't know or have in the other country.
In my volunteer years I often picked up good work gloves to give away (or not) -- like soft leather, seamless (painless), or waterproof palm, or kid size.
From Israel there is always halva or spices, like cardamon or za'atar. Although I worry that it might confuse the sniffer dogs at airports.