Japanese Gift Giving Customs: Evolution and Etiquette

1. Gift giving in Japan: Origins • Origins in offerings made to deities (kami) • Arises out of traditional feelings of giri and on. • All gifts must therefore be reciprocated. • Exchanges are traditionally between households (ie) rather than individuals

2. Gift giving in Japan: evolution • With urbanization has come change • Urbanites are outside traditional community webs • They have less time, money, space • Some consequences: • Gift giving is treated as an empty formality arising from giri • Gift giving from individual to individual is on the rise • Valentine’s Day, White Day • Collective gift giving, competitive gift giving • Taraimawashi: the “gift room”

3. Gift giving in Japan: etiquette • Gifts are always wrapped (even if the gift is laundry soap). • The giver should disparage the gift • “It’s really nothing….” • It is usually not opened in front of the giver • Exception: food to be shared • The wrapping is removed intact by the receiver

4. Gift giving in Japan: occasions • Obon and New Year’s: ochūgen and oseibo • Mostly within families and company groups • Popularity in decline • In gratitude for assistance rendered • In time of illness, or by a teacher, etc. • Special occasions • Rites of passage, sometimes birthdays

5. Gift giving in Japan: omiage • Gifts brought back from a trip • Dates back to the Ise pilgrimage of the Tokugawa era • Sometimes competitive

6. Gift giving in Japan: the dark side • The thin line between gratitude and bribery • Gifts to teachers • The “Recruit scandal”

7. Dinner Entertainment • restaurant vs ryōtei料亭 (ryootei) • Formal business entertainment is usually done at ryōtei • But, restaurants and bars (including izakaya) are popular sites for less formal gatherings

8. Basic etiquette for social gatherings (Befu) • Never pour your own drink; if you want more, pour someone else some. • Be sure to hold your glass when it is being filled. • Stay engaged with the group as a whole; stay on the subject of conversation. • When you are the main person at the gathering, you choose the topic of conversation. • Self-deprecating remarks are always appropriate. • Friendly argument and debate is appropriate • If you’ve had enough to drink, leave your cup full.

9. Recreation and the “group” • the case of Japanese skiiers in Korea (Brandt) • As always, style is important! • Outfits that match, and matching outfits • Group performance valued • “frame” characteristics in an “attribute” group • Hierarchy prevails, by skill and seniority • Organization frame more important than ethnicity • The Japanese ski instructor did not associate with the ski club

10. Recreation in Japan: pro baseball • Features in common with Koshien include group cheering and cheerleaders • However, there is less identification with the team than with Koshien • Commentary also focuses more on technique

11. Foreign players in Japanese baseball • A case of soto-uchi: Tuffy Rhodes and Sadaharu Oh • Oh is now owner of the Daiei Hawks

12. Summary • The intracacies of gift giving • Dinner entertainment as group-fortifying activity – bonding in the frame • Other social groups form by common interest • Coffee-klatches • Sports clubs • The group at the national level: baseball