Sending wedding gifts

[mtpiper]

We have a friend in Japan that is getting married. We can't travel to Japan to attend the wedding, but want to send a gift. Sending cash in the mail is out of the question.
What would be an appropriate gift to send? Something representative of our home country, or something traditionally Japanese?
Thanks for any advice!
トニー (mtpiper)

[gerald_ford]

Good question. I think Japan is actually quite a bit like the US in terms of gifts: home kitchen items are a great idea. Money, like you said, wouldn't work, but plates, chinaware, and such certainly would. That's what we got when my wife and I married from Japanese friends. If you were to get an appliance though from the US, that would not work due to voltage differences and such, so stick with traditional kitchen items or linens.

Best of luck!

[hatch_jp]

According to the following site;
http://www.mitsukoshi.co.jp/spcl/wedding/feature/05/

#1 table ware
#2 kitchen utensil
#3 glass for liquor
#4 interior goods
#5 appliance