Oseibo -Winter gift giving in Japan

Wondering why recently there are so many gift boxes with the pictures of juices, hams or crab legs being displayed in your nearby department stores?

Yes, those gift boxes are oseibo or winter gift giving. Gift giving is a part of Japanese culture. In the past, it is considered as the proper way to express people’s gratitude toward someone who has shown his/her kindness during the year. The tradition is gradually fading in the metropolitan cities especially among young people. However, this tradition still exists among the older generation and those living in countryside area. The best things to give as oseibo are something that can be used in daily life such as cooking oil, towels, laundry detergents, hams, juices or cookies. But currently, people are looking for something that can represent their modern taste such as fancy cookies, chocolates and instant soup ingredients.

According to Takashimaya Department Store, the most popular oseibo gifts are as follows、