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Top Japanese Gift Ideas For 2024

Japan has nice stuff. Interesting clothes, anime paraphernalia, traditional stuff, modern stuff. So you don’t get overwhelmed, here are some ideas for gifts for Japan lovers.

So first thing you need to decide is what kind of Japan stuff are you after? Different people love Japan for very different reasons. Would you like a traditional Japanese arts present? A Japanese pop culture gift? Do you love Kawaii culture? Muted-tone Japanese aesthetics? Minimalism? Riotous colorful Japanese culture? Let’s attempt dividing these disparate things into some categories.

We also have lists of Japanese gifts for her, gifts for him and gifts for Sushi Lovers.

Table of Contents

How to Choose A Gift For A Japan Fan

First step is to figure out what category of Japan lover you are buying for. 

There tend to be a few different main types of Japan lover. Some groups you may want to think about are:
The Japanese Snack Lover: for those that love mochi, yokan, senbei or tea.

Otaku & Anime: The Japan-Geek who loves anime, manga, games etc.

Traditional & Zen: For those that love the traditional Japanese arts and crafts

Modern Japan lover: For those that love the slick, minimal Japanese design aesthetic

The Linguistic: For those that love learning the Japanese Language

The Japanese Home Decor Fan: For those interested in the Japanese house aesthetic

The Japanese Snack Lover

One option is to get your loved one a curated snack box, either as a one-off or as an ongoing monthly subscription. One Japanese snack box we have reviewed favourably in the past is the Sakuraco box pictured above. Or you can see our massive list of 42 Japanese subscription boxes.

The “Otaku” Japan-Lover

This is the “nerd” Japan-Lover. 

The Otaku tends to be into the anime, manga, and tech sides of things. Some Japanese gift ideas Otaku types include:

My personal favorite is Sushi GO! Card game

The "Traditional" or “Zen" Japan-Lover

This Japan fan is characterised by love of Japanese traditional and more refined arts. Steve Jobs loved traditional Japanese design, and it influenced the minimalist design of Apple products.

Gift ideas for the “Zen” Japan-Lover include:

The "Modern" Japan-Lover

The "Linguist" Japan-Lover

 Maybe your linguist loved one would like a subscription to a language learning course. Try the ones below.

See our complete Japanese Language Learning Resource List or our Japanese language learning platform reviews below:

General Cool Japan Stuff

Let’s start with the fundamentals. Gift for a man? Socks is number 1 right? BUT, they don’t have to be the same old boring socks. How about a pair of anime socks! Totoro on your ankles anyone?

Or check out any of these Studio Ghibli socks.

Make your own mossball!
Buying a gift for a greenthumb? Or just trying to easily get a little green inside? This Kokedama moss ball kit, makes it super simple to get in on the Japanese moss action!

This is a bento box that cooks your rice fresh. Only in Japan.

Every Japan-lover needs at least one Studio Ghibli poster in their home. Mandatory decoration.

Gifts For Anime Lovers

We’ve put the emphasis on anime gifts that could be given to most Japanese anime lovers.

Japan Coloring Book Gifts

Coloring books for adults have taken off in recent years. See our Japan coloring books page here.

I love this book, it really is as much an art book as a straight out coloring book. It has beautiful full-color images of 22 ukiyo-e woodblock prints. In addition it gives you a full page background on each artwork and artist. So you’re learning about the history of this wonderful Japanese artform, but doing it in an active way where you are recreating the artworks. The coloring pages are actually recreated from the original artworks themselves, so they are incredibly accurate.

The only drawbacks are that they may be too intricate for some, and 22 images is less than some other options.

The only drawbacks are that they may be too intricate for some, and 22 images is less than some other options.

Not so much a “book” as a bumper “pad” of 72 wonderful patterns and images. It’s top bound with glue, so you can easily remove individual sheets. The Vive Le Color coloring book range are tremendously popular, so you know you’re going to get something that is generally good quality. This book is fairly small, which makes it pretty portable. The downside is that this also means that a lot of the designs are small, and can feel a little “cramped”. It’s a trade off really. Still this book has so many fans, it pretty much couldn’t be left out of any Japanese Coloring Book list.

Japanese Home Gifts

Japanese Kitchen & Dining Gifts

You eat lunch every day right? So why not eat from a lunch box that gives you pleasure. Food tastes better out of a nice box. Especially a nice, natural wooden box. Mmmm, bento box.

Beautiful blue glaze plate suitable for sushi or piece of fish, with dipping bowls and chopsticks.

For the Sake lovers. Bizen is my favourite school of potter in Japan, it’s rough enough to have character to smooth enough to be pleasurable to use. 

If your loved one is a tea swiller, then they need a a good cup. If they like matcha, they’ll also need the whisk and spoon. This gives them everything they need for great tea in one pack.

We’ve alsogot posts about tea whisks and Japanese tea sets

Many peopel have grasped the symbolic beauty of Kintsugi. This book uses the idea of Kintsugi as a metaphore for living life. Self-help for the Japan lover.

If you do a lot of cutting and cooking, you need a good knife. Japan does great blades. They look stylish too.

Some people love tea, some people like something a little harder. Japan has some wonderful, quite unusual beer cups, such as this one.

Kintsugi is the art of fixing cracked items with gold. The idea is to celebrate the cracks in a long cherished item. So a kintsugi piece of pottery is a great gift as a symbol of the value in celebrating connection, even in adversity.

Japanese Lamps

There’s no quicker way to transform the feel of the room than with lighting. These Japanese style lights emit a warm, subtle light that can make an otherwise bland space into something magical.

This lamp combines the charm of a traditional style lamp with modern connectivity. The best of both worlds.

If you are thinking of getting a Japanese lamp as present check out our Japanese lamps guide

Japanese Zabuton Cushions

Japanese people love to sit on the floor. Zabuton style cushions aid with that. This one has a beautiful, muted tone design.

These zabuton cushions are well padded and would be particularly well suited to meditation.

For more Japanese Decor ideas see this page 

Japanese Clothing Gifts For Him

Japanese Tops

A simple, understated yet modern linen men’s jacket

For the sophisticated Japanophile.