Farewell gifts for Japanese people?

[pohnpei]

Hi --
A friend of mine is returning to Japan after having lived here in the US for 5 years or so. I'm wondering if there are any traditional things that Japanese people give in such situations...
Can anyone help?

Thank you!

[JonB]

flowers! Seems to be given for any leaving do whether company or country.

With the ex-pats going home we tend to give them something to remind them of Japan and I am sure they would appreciate the same kind of thing. A lot of our people go to Boston and usually have Red Sox stuff on the office wall when they return

[Ulver_684]

flowers! Seems to be given for any leaving do whether company or country.

With the ex-pats going home we tend to give them something to remind them of Japan and I am sure they would appreciate the same kind of thing. A lot of our people go to Boston and usually have Red Sox stuff on the office wall when they return

Flowers I don't think that's a great gift for living in USA for five years and then going back to Japan again! The flowers will dry out and then they will have to throw them to the trash!:P

I think that a good gift would be a something from our country! For example in my case I would give them a Mexican gift like a hat, T shirt, keychain, bottle of Tequila, candy, etc and a NYC gift like a Statue Of Liberty, Shirt, postcard, etc!

[JonB]

Flowers I don't think that's a great gift for living in USA for five years and then going back to Japan again! The flowers will dry out and then they will have to throw them to the trash!:P

You would think but that's what the Japanese give here - even to returning ex-pats. I once when to a leaving party for an ex-pat couple (both working in the company) and they had more flowers than your average flower stall!! Left in the hotel room two days later...

[Ulver_684]

Flowers I don't think that's a great gift for living in USA for five years and then going back to Japan again! The flowers will dry out and then they will have to throw them to the trash!:P

You would think but that's what the Japanese give here - even to returning ex-pats. I once when to a leaving party for an ex-pat couple (both working in the company) and they had more flowers than your average flower stall!! Left in the hotel room two days later...

Good luck then ...!

[Yoshiko]

Interesting topic. In June a friend of mine will return to Japan. She's an exchange student. Haven't thought about a gift yet.
She herself is already collecting stuff to give her friends and family when she's back. She bought 50 little wooden shoes in Amsterdam. Great day for that seller.

[untmdsprt]

I bought my Japanese friend a stuffed bison from my trip to Oklahoma. I wanted to give her something to remind her of the true Native America.

Oh she and her husband were shocked about the Jack Daniels distillery. They were expecting some huge factory, but instead they saw it was just a small one that hasn't changed in 100 years.

[Belton]

Isn't a stuffed bison a bit big? 笑

I think you should follow your own countries customs if giving a present to someone going back to their own country.
Bear in mind that they'll be bringing all sorts of stuff home maybe with a limited baggage allowance. If it's a major relocation the movers and packers will probably have been and gone by the time of a going away party.
Small and not fragile might be best.

[untmdsprt]

Not a real bison, but a beanie baby!!

[Ulver_684]

Interesting topic. In June a friend of mine will return to Japan. She's an exchange student. Haven't thought about a gift yet.
She herself is already collecting stuff to give her friends and family when she's back. She bought 50 little wooden shoes in Amsterdam. Great day for that seller.

Yoshiko-san!

I agree with you, it was the sellers day!! I won't have done that in my whole life!