BU Market Fun Fact: Soap

Bringing souvenirs is very important in Japan. I could be a good choice!

We usually buy little souvenirs for family and friends after we travel. In Japan such gift giving is called Omiyage (お土産), and it is an important tradition to do so.

In Japanese workplaces, Omiyage is a way to send a “thank you” message to colleagues as they need to cover your work when you were on leave. If you don’t do the omiyage right, it may affect others’ impression of you.

If we travel to Japan, maneki-neko (招き猫) would be quite a good omiyage! Maneki-neko is a cat statue raising its hand as a sign of good luck and wealth. It is usually placed in shops and houses.