Omiyage, the act of gift-giving after travel, is a big thing for the Japanese. Make like a local and snap up these cult buys for loved ones, or gift yourself to make your trip last longer when you’re back home.
Tokyo Banana
Tokyo Banana is one of the most popular souvenirs to buy when in Japan. This fluffy little banana-shaped sponge cake filled with banana flavoured custard cream is delicious, handy and extremely cute. Available in many different flavours, with each having its own unique design, these delicious, custardy parcels are a common sight at most souvenir shops in major stations and airports in Tokyo.
Kit Kat
Kit Kat chocolate bars are consumed globally, but in Japan, they have taken the Kit Kat to a whole new level. Nestle has capitalised on the chocolate wafer’s popularity in the country, churning out wild, wacky and imaginative flavours, along with premium editions, which can only be found in Japan such as dorayaki, strawberry cheesecake, Wasabi and Sake. Among the 200 flavours available, the Tokyo Banana flavoured KitKat is a particularly popular choice, combining both KitKat and the famous Tokyo Banana cake. Small, beautifully packaged, and easily found at most supermarkets and souvenir shops, Kit Kat bars make the perfect souvenir.
Stationery
While journals and gel pens may not be the first potential souvenirs that spring to mind, Tokyo is a wonderland for stationery lovers. Whether you’re shopping for high-end fountain pens or Hello Kitty erasers, you’ll find a wealth of options across the city. Often much cheaper than what you’ll find back home, Japanese stationery is also often of better quality, frequently topping “best of” lists. Beautiful notebooks, colourful Washi tapes, kawaii stickers, and customisable planners are just some of the many stationery items that make for a great souvenir!
Wagashi
Beautifully crafted, delicate and delicious, wagashi is one of those little treats in life that never fail to bring a smile to your face. Crafted to be as pleasing to the eye as to the tongue, the miniature perfections are often paired with green tea. For some of the best wagashi in Tokyo, head over to Ginza Kikunoya. Part of Japanese food culture for over 300 years, these traditional, intricately decorated sweet snacks are also full of history and are perhaps among the most unique souvenirs to buy in Tokyo.
Tokyo Honey Sugar
Regular patrons of YOKU MOKU will recognise the store for its famous cookie roll, but the underrated honeycomb biscuit is just as good. Cut to achieve the iconic honeycomb pattern, The Tokyo Honey Sugar isn’t too sweet and has a good ratio of honey and biscuit without one overpowering the other. This sugary pick-me-up can only be found in Tokyo and can be found at any YOKU MOKU outlet in the city.
Cosmetic Products
Japanese cosmetics and beauty products can be found just about anywhere in Tokyo, from swanky shopping malls and standalone stores to pharmacies and even vending machines. Enjoy massive savings on familiar names such as Shu Uemura, SK-II and Shiseido, but the prize here is the local products with cult followings. Think Labo Labo’s Super Keana range; Kose’s herbal Sekkisei range; and Kanebo’s highly-popular Suisa Beauty Clear pods. And even if it smells suspiciously like hand sanitiser, don’t leave without checking out a bottle of Cure Natural Aqua Gel – Japan’s most famous exfoliating product, one bottle of this gel is sold every 12 seconds.
Funuwa “Imo Yokan”
Funawa is a long-established Japanese confectionery company and is perhaps most known for its iconic products, the “Imo Yokan” (sweet potato paste). This traditional snack has been sold for over 100 years and remains one of the most popular desserts in Japan. Even if you aren’t much of a sweet person, this is one treat definitely worth trying! If you are planning to bring this back home with you, plan to only buy it the day before your flight (or even the day itself) as it should be eaten within 2 days.
