Shopping

There are myriad aspects of Japanese culture that can baffle the outsider, but on the face of it, omiyage seems pretty straightforward. Omiyage is usually translated as ‘souvenir’, and we all know what that is right? Coming from French for ‘remember’, a souvenir is usually something that we bring back from a trip or journey to remind us of a place we have visited. For Japanese, however, omiyage is so, so much more than that. Where did omiyage come from? Though its origin is a little shrouded in the mists of time, it is commonly believed that omiyage began with sacred pilgrimages to Shinto shrines. Pilgrims were expected to return with evidence of their travels – presumably to ensure that they actually went on a holy mission and didn’t just hit the Las Vegas strip for a fortnight – such as charms or sake cups. And then, upon gifting these trinkets to family and loved ones, the spiritual protection bestowed upon the traveller by the shrine’s kami [gods] would be shared.  With the advent of Japan’s railway system vastly improving travel times, perishable items became increasingly popular, and nowadays the purchase of omiyage has become necessary for absolutely every journey;…