Do you have someone in your life who’s obsessed with Japan?
(It’s ok if that person is you… I won’t tell anyone 😉 )
Are you looking for cool Japanese gift ideas for Christmas or a birthday? Start by checking out my list of dream Japanese themed gifts!
I’ve put together this gift guide of Japan inspired gifts, to help you choose the perfect present.
Whether you’re looking for something kawaii, traditional or quirky, pick something from this list to make a Japan lover happy!
23+ cool Japanese gift ideas for Japan fans
- Japanese Kit Kat variety box
- Kintsugi kit
- Personal tabletop yakiniku grill
- Walking in the Woods book
- Sushi socks
- Sakura powder
- Eat Japan book
- Personalised Japanese cat-shaped name stamp
- A Geek in Japan book
- Kawaii subscription box
- Sakuraco traditional Japanese snack box
- Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
- Mini zen garden
- Matcha Tea Ceremony Set
- Tokyo Cult Recipes
- Shiba inu soy sauce dish
- Sake set
- Rilakkuma chopsticks
- Lonely Planet Japan travel guide
- Japanese name necklace
- Kakigoori maker
- Neko jinja cat house
- Ghibli socks
- All the best stuff is from Japan T-shirt
Japanese Kit Kat variety box
Kit Kats are, weirdly, super HUGE in Japan!
In case you didn’t know, there are hundreds of different flavours of Kit Kat in Japan. Most are special editions that you can only get in certain cities or certain seasons. So they’re a real collector’s item!
This Kit Kat party variety box will be a real treat for anyone who loves Japanese sweets!
It has 18 flavours including 10 regional specialities, including such as matcha green tea flavour from Kyoto, strawberry cheesecake flavour from Yokohama and even wasabi flavour from Shizuoka (try it if you dare!) 😋
Here’s the full list:
- Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate
- Dark Matcha
- Graham Cracker
- Strawberry
- Orange Chocolate
- Milk Tea
- Shizuoka Wasabi
- Nagano Shinshu Apple
- Kyushu Amaou Strawberry
- Kyoto Uji Matcha
- Kyoto Uji Hojicha
- Tokyo Island Lemon
- Yokohama Strawberry Cheesecake
- Nagoya Azuki Sandwich
- Hiroshima Momiji Manju
- Masuizumi Nihonshu (Sake)
- For Cafe
Kintsugi kit
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, to make items even more unique and beautiful than when they were new.
I think this kintsugi kit would be an ideal gift for anyone arty or crafty, or anyone with an interest in the traditional Japanese value of wabi-sabi (beauty in imperfection).
The kit contains everything you need to get started, including gold powder, epoxy resin glue, tools for mixing and spreading, and a ceramic practise dish.
Personal tabletop yakiniku grill
My all-time favourite Japanese cuisine is yakiniku (grilled meat that you cook yourself at the table). It’s the one thing I always recommend my family and friends to try when they visit Japan. That’s because it’s not just tasty – it’s a whole fun experience to cook your own food piece by piece, just the way you like it!
That’s why I was so excited to discover these adorable mini yakiniku grills so you can recreate the experience at home. The grills are shipped direct from Japan. Itadakimasu!
Walking in the Woods book
Shinrin-yoku is one of those beautiful Japanese words which expresses a uniquely Japanese concept. Translating as ‘forest bathing’, shinrin-yoku is about spending time among trees for proven benefits to your physical and mental health.
This book, by a renowned Japanese researcher, introduces the science behind shinrin-yoku, how to put it into practise, and wonderful ideas for bringing nature to you – even if you don’t live near a forest!
It’s beautifully presented with illustrations and diagrams that make it the sort of book you’ll pick up over and over.
Recommended gift for nature lovers with an interest in Japanese lifestyle!
Sushi socks
I looove these quirky sushi socks! There are three pairs of socks in this box, all rolled up to look like sushi 🙂
I think the presentation and the attention to detail in this cute gift set is also very Japanese!
Sakura powder
For your foodie friends who love the most Instagrammable seasonal lattes and kawaii confectionary, I recommend the uniquely Japanese edible sakura powder!
This powder, made from 100% authentic Japanese cherry blossom petals and leaves, gives a pale pink colour and sweet floral taste to your kitchen creations. You can use it to make sakura lattes (a Japanese Starbucks springtime specialty!), cookies, cake and more.
Eat Japan book
This book from Lonely Planet guides is the perfect gift for anyone interested in Japanese cuisine.
As well as an introduction to the most famous Japanese foods and drinks, it also teaches you Japanese food etiquette and culture (did you know you should never hand money to a sushi chef?)
There’s also a section with useful phrases for ordering food in Japan.
Whether your buddy is planning a trip to Japan or just dreaming of that authentic tonkatsu, this book would make a great gift for anyone into Japanese food.
Personalised Japanese cat-shaped name stamp
Name stamps (hanko or inkan) are used in Japan instead of signatures. When you open a bank account or sign a contract, Japanese people use their own personalised rubber stamp. In addition, Japanese artists stamp their work instead of signing it.
This shop gives you the opportunity to order your own name stamp, direct from Japan! You can choose a cute image like a cat, or a more traditional shape.
The shop will translate your name and make it into the stamp.
This is a really unique gift for anyone interested in Japanese culture, and it could also be a useful stamp for anyone interested in crafts, scrapbooking or art.
A Geek in Japan book
This awesome book is an alternative guide to Japanese culture. As you would expect from the name, it talks a lot about ‘geeky’ culture like manga, anime and video games in Japan.
But it also provides an introduction to traditional Japan, like zen Buddhism and tea ceremony. This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about the many sides of life in Japan!
Kawaii subscription box
Kawaii (cute) culture is one of Japan’s most famous exports!
Kawaii means everything girly, sweet and adorable, from Hello Kitty plushies to cute fashion accessories. The Kawaii Box is a Japanese subscription box that sends you a monthly surprise selection of kawaii goodies from Japan and Korea.
Each box is different, but it may include toys, phone charms, stationery, stickers, candy and beauty products. Imagine an entire box of cool Japanese gifts!
I think a subscription box makes an amazing gift, because the lucky giftee actually gets several presents to open throughout the year! ❤️
Of course, you can just order one box if budget is an issue.
Sakuraco traditional Japanese snack box
A unique subscription box for lovers of traditional Japan. Each box contains up to 20 items, including artisanal Japanese snacks, tea bags and homeware pieces to keep. Sakuraco carefully sources items from small family businesses and traditional makers.
If you’re more into traditional Japan, how about this alternative subscription box of authentic Japanese snacks.
Sakuraco curate beautiful selections of authentic Japanese food products which are only sold in Japan! They work in partnership with many old family-run businesses to bring you the most traditional snacks.
Each box has a monthly theme and features products from a certain area of Japan.
If your budget doesn’t stretch to a subscription, you can also order a one-off box.
For a peek inside a Sakuraco box, check out my review!
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
Ikigai is a Japanese word meaning the joy of having a purpose in life.
It’s a central concept in Japanese culture, and it’s believed to be one of the reasons for Japan’s long life expectancy.
This book exploring ikigai was released recently and it became an international bestseller! It would make a great gift for Japanese culture lovers or anyone interested in concepts such as mindfulness and finding joy.
Mini zen garden
Here’s another cute gift idea for anyone interested in the zen, Buddhism and meditation aspects of Japanese culture. This mini zen garden can let anyone create a special place for relaxation at home.
This would be perfect if you have a shrine or chill-out area at home. I also think it would be a nice gift for a busy employee to keep on their desk for when they need to calm down at work.
You can rake it with the miniature rake and arrange the little figurines however you like!
Matcha Tea Ceremony Set
A traditional Japanese tea ceremony is the perfect way to enjoy a few moments of calm in the middle of a busy day. Not to mention, matcha has a ton of health benefits!
Now you can practise the tea ceremony in your own home. This set contains a traditional tea bowl, bamboo whisk and scoop, whisk rest and ceremonial grade matcha powder. All authentically Japanese and shipped from Japan.
Tokyo Cult Recipes
If you ask any Japan lover what’s so great about Japan, a lot of the time the answer is the FOOD!
Japanese food has a reputation of being complicated to prepare, but actually this book makes it really simple and accessible.
I have this book. One thing I love about it is that is has all the Japanese classics you’d expect (sushi, miso soup) but it also has lots of yummy comfort food like curry, gyoza and other home cooking!
It also has great photos from authentic Japanese restaurants and home meals.
Shiba inu soy sauce dish
Here’s an adorable stocking filler for dog lovers, Japanese food lovers or anyone who appreciates charming Japanese design!
This soy sauce dish has a 3D image of a shiba inu (Japan’s national dog) on the bottom. Fill with soy sauce to see the image pop!
There’s also a Mount Fuji version for those with more classical tastes.
Sake set
Japanese sake (also known as nihonshu) is the popular Japanese rice wine. A typical set for serving sake consists of a ceramic flask and four small cups to share it. I love the traditional blue glaze on this set.
This would be a great gift for a Japanese culture lover or anyone who likes to try new drinks
Rilakkuma chopsticks
Rilakkuma is one of the most beloved kawaii characters in Japan! This chopsticks set comes in its own case.
It would be a great Japanese inspired gift for children or anyone who loves the cute character! For a bigger gift, there’s also a Rilakkuma bento box available.
Lonely Planet Japan travel guide
Anyone obsessed with Japan must be dreaming of visiting Japan one day. Help them out with this comprehensive travel book! Lonely Planet are the best travel guides on the market.
This one is almost 1000 pages long and covers everything from shopping in Tokyo to hiking in the countryside. There are lots of colour pictures too for day dreaming over.
This is a must-have for anyone who hopes to travel to Japan!
Japanese name necklace
Name necklaces have been pretty trendy for a while. How about a name necklace in Japanese?
This shop on Etsy will translate whatever name you want into Japanese and put it on a necklace. You could choose the name of the person who’ll wear the necklace, or perhaps the name of a loved one. (Or another word of your choice. This one actually says shiawase – happiness 🙂 ).
It’s available in gold, silver or rose gold, and you can choose the font too!
Kakigoori maker
Yep, another foodie gift… I can’t help myself!
If you are buying for someone who has spent summer in Japan, they will know and love kakigoori. It’s a Japanese shaved ice dessert that is super popular on hot days.
I have never seen them for sale overseas before but this site ships them from Japan 🙂
Neko jinja cat house
Neko jinja means cat shrine, and look! An adorable home for your cats in the design of a Japanese shinto shrine 😻
This incredible piece was a huge social media hit in Japan earlier this year and is now available to buy internationally from my fave Japan export shop OMG Japan.
It’s not the cheapest item on this list, but for a Japan lover and cat owner, this is a sure fire winner!
Ghibli socks
Anyone who loves Japan knows and loves Studio Ghibli. It was the first thing many of us learned to love about Japan!
These cute women’s socks with characters from the Ghibli animations are a great Japanese gift for her.
All the best stuff is from Japan T-shirt
This cute T-shirt will make any Japan fan happy!
It has cute cartoon pictures of all Japan’s most famous and beloved things, from origami to Godzilla to the shinkansen bullet train!
If you can’t decide what else to buy from this list, this tee covers all bases 😄
Available in men’s and women’s sizes.
What did you think? Will you buy anything off this list? Do you have any other good ideas for cool Japanese gifts? Let me know!
Also, check out my other post for gift ideas for people studying Japanese!
Rebecca is the founder of Team Japanese. She spent two years teaching English in Ehime, Japan. Now back in the UK, she spends her time blogging, self-studying Japanese and wrangling a very genki toddler.