Unique Japan

There are many unique customs that are etched into Japanese culture, and one is the giving of summer gifts called Ochu-gen. If you go to any department store or grocery store around this time, you’ll see numerous displays of boxed gifts for Ochu-gen.

Ochu-gen is simply an act of giving a summer greeting to people you care about. Typically, people send Ochu-gen gifts to parents, relatives, friends, co-workers, bosses, mentors, etc. Actually, there are no set rules regarding who gets a greeting. Ochu-gen season starts in the beginning of July and ends around mid July in eastern Japan. (Interestingly enough, the season is pushed back to a month later for those people who live in western Japan.)Thus, you can imagine some people are busy Oshu-gen shopping right now.

Popular gifts items are perishable goods like beers, ham and sausage sets, sweets, meat sets, ice creams, rice, teas, and coffees. Some people send household products like laundry detergent, soap, and towels.

Typically, when people bring gifts to others, they say “Tsumaranai monodesuga”. (“It might not be a good enough gift for you”.) This might sound somewhat insulting because if it’s not good enough why give it to people?

Well, here is the reason. It is one of many Japanese phrases that show respect to others. If you can read between the lines, the true translation is as follows. “Even though I did my best to choose the right gift for you, no gift would be good enough for such a wonderful person like you.”

This excerpt from a book called Bushido: The Soul of Japan might explain the true meaning of Japanese gift giving better than I can do.

“[Our] logic runs: ‘You are a nice person, and no gift is nice enough for you. You will not accept anything I can lay at your feet except as a token of my good will; so accept this, not for its intrinsic value, but as a token. It will be an insult to your worth to call the best gift good enough for you.’”

“The American speaks of the material which makes the gift; the Japanese speaks of the spirit which prompts the gift.”

Unfortunately, there are many people who misinterpret the humbleness of the phrase as rudeness. Thus, lately people are saying simple phrases like “Hope you like this.” And “I’ve heard this is a fine gift.”

We all have many occasions to give gifts: birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, etc. It takes time to choose the right gift for the right person, but in the end, it is the thought that counts. Well, I better get cracking on Ochu-gen gift hunting.