#Omiyage

[tsun-zaku]

YMO「OMIYAGE」広告（1981年）

[lilliesforya]

Google Translate in the Grocery Store

August 21, 2023

The supermarket is the size of a large Walgreens. I don’t know where anything is located. The products look like things I recognize from a dream but have never seen before in real life. I walk around with a basket in one hand and my phone in the other. The basket always gets too heavy but I never grab a cart from the front because I’m always convinced I won’t need one. I always need one. The carts are smaller and they look like the ones from Wegmans but with only one place for the items. I find items on my list like spinach, bread, and garlic. I lament the loss of niche (or not) food items I love like nutritional yeast, plant based butter, peanut butter that isn’t peanut flavored cream, and maple brown sugar oatmeal. I try to replace this with a feeling of gratitude for the improved access to locally grown rice, miso soup, pickled ginger in large amounts, bread that tastes savory like pastry dough, red bean flavored anything, and 9% alcohol in a can for like barely $2. 

The picture above is part of the alcoholic drink section in the grocery store. I can get these at my local convenience store for slightly more yen but it’s not a huge difference. The drinks range in alcohol content- the light pink peach drink in the upper right corner is 3%. The grapefruit vodka soda I picked up from the front of the aisle is 5%. My favorites are ‘Strong Zero’ and Chu-Hi both in lemon flavor. These are 9% and they make me the closest I’ve ever gotten to drunk on one drink. They taste so good it is easy to forget they’re so strong- similar to the Soju effect.

This is all of the miso soup options. I wanted to buy the paste because it seems more cost effective but one time I did that I forgot to use dashi (fish stock that gives the salty flavor) and the result was awful. I was so paranoid that I just got the packets that come with the seaweed, green onions, and tofu, etc. with it. I must have stood in this aisle for so long trying to google translate the differences between all of the miso soups. I don’t usually get stared at too much in the grocery store but I think this warranted a few glances as to what on Earth I was doing. 

In a lot of stores, including the grocery store, there are sections for omiyage (souvenirs) or items that can be given as gifts. It’s an extremely common cultural practice. When people go away on trips it's customary to bring back small gifts for family, friends, and/ or coworkers. Usually, it’s small items special to the place you’ve visited or sweets that are local to the area. For example, Chiba prefecture is known for peanuts (among other things), so if I went to visit friends in Kobe I would bring some peanut based sweets to give to people. Also, most prefectures and sometimes cities and towns have mascots. So, often in train stations you can find small memorabilia of the mascot of the area. Example: Osaka is known for takoyaki so they sell octopus plushies and keychains (and I have a large plushie of him). Even my small town has omiyage in the local train station! 

[anipekopeko]

Digimon Adventure 02 - Miyako's yatsuhashi

[xshu]

Omiyage for The Mouse

The Cat and The Mouse picked up from Haneda Airport while waiting for flight home. Japanese Pancakes filled with Red Bean Paste Royce Chocolates Milk and dark. The Mouse’s Breakfast Coffee and pancake. Mmm. Be well, eat well. The Mouse Lahaina/Maui Strong.

[techdriveplay]

7 Insider Tips from Lonely Planet to Make the Most of Your Trip to Japan with the Aussie Dollar at a 10-Year High

If you’ve always wanted to travel to Japan, now’s the time to say konichiwa to this super-hot travel destination with the exchange rate at its best. These insider tips from Lonely Planet’s “Experience Japan” and “Experience Tokyo” make it even more kawaii (or cool): Crazy Commute For Tokyoites, the morning commute is a contact sport. On weekdays from 7.30am to 9am, millions squeeze into trains…

[famouspeopleinturtlenecks]

Omiyage Dari Prof Jepun

[roundtripjp]

朝聖世界遺產巡禮，漫步在日光中禪寺湖老街街道之中的最佳美味伴侶，有著美味紅豆饅頭與名產日光羊羹的和菓子老舖「みやま堂」!

[eri-nishi]

[jueyun-chili]

Got this custom Dojang stamp as a souvenir from my South Korea trip~

I also got one for my bf because I couldn't think of a cool souvenir to bring :))

[ocfooddiva]

Arigato for the Matcha Azuki Mochi from Japan! 🇯🇵 #omiyage #travel #japan #matcha #azuki #mochi https://www.instagram.com/p/CqLvU4SvB1N/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bedandstay]

Bring an omiyage (gift) to your love one when you visit Japan. We got one today from our co-worker. 

When you visit Tokyo, book your stay with us  here ⬇️ https://www.airbnb.jp/rooms/21581868

日本語

日本を訪れた際には、大切な人におみやげを持参しましょう。本日も同僚からいただきました。東京にお越しの際は、こちらからご予約ください⬇️ https://www.airbnb.jp/rooms/21581868

[gleaningsinbuddhafields]

Omiyage At A Glance

It’s been years since we’ve traveled to Japan (despite previously going every summer) thanks to the Pandemic, but we’re heading out soon, and so my wife has been super busy preparing omiyagé (お土産) for all the friends and relatives at home. Just some of the bags of stuff my wife has collected for bringing back to Japan Tofugu has an excellent article on omiyage, especially from the standpoint of…

[phoenixyfriend]

Ftr Kyoto is absolute MURDER on the wallet

[taiso]

april 23rd marks the anniversary of YMO's legendary Shagaku Festival (写楽祭) concert!

[selfmaderibcageman]

Look how excellently my bag is packed..

[setsunatekiblast]

oh yeah ummm hi i lowkey have a bachelor's degree btw

like not officially because the ceremony is in november but i finished my final assignment for the last course i needed last month & got my grade on friday! was an 80% (a-) which im not actually all that happy with because i feel like i could've done better but we ball