JAPAN SOUVENIRS – Regrets & Favorites (1-Year Later)

Have you ever looked at a souvenir you brought back from a trip and wondered, “Why oh why?”

About a year ago, my almost-10-year-old son and I came back from an incredible trip from Japan. And we brought some souvenirs home with us.

Before leaving, I’d read a ton online about travelers bringing back suitcases full of items back from Japan, but I didn’t want to end up asking myself “why?” a year later. And, we live in a small house, so I knew we didn’t have space for loads of souvenirs.

Below, I’ll share which Japanese souvenirs we regretted, and which we love and use one year later.

I hope this helps you decide what you may want to bring back from Japan!

Our Favorite Souvenirs From Japan – One Year Later

In no particular order:

• matcha candies – Multiple packs of hard matcha candies. I’m able to find these at a Japanese grocery store in Florence, but it was still nice to bring some back.
• Disney pencils – From our visit to Tokyo DisneySea
• chef’s knives – I bought one for myself and I use it daily. One year on, it’s still my favorite souvenir from our trip to Japan. I also bought an identical knife for my son to take with him when he moves out on his own.
• pens, pencils, and notebooks – Japan has the best stationery in the world! As a(n amateur) calligrapher, I adore the smooth-writing pens and pencils in Japan. There’s also an excellent selection of fine-tip pens, lovely notebooks, and anything else for stationery fans. I brought back tons of pens, pencils, and notebooks, and still wish I’d bought more. Note that the prices are competitive too.
• glasses – Pre-trip, eyeglasses weren’t on my souvenir list, but they ended up being a fantastic souvenir. I’m wearing one of the two pairs as I type this. I did end up getting rid of the other pair as the frames were too heavy on my face. Read more about Buying Glasses in Tokyo – In One Day.
• shampoo and conditioner – I bought the red bottles of Tsubaki shampoo and they worked well on my wavy, dry hair. I just bought more on a trip to nearby Vietnam.
• facemasks – If you enjoy pampering your skin with facemasks, pick some up in Japan! They’re a fraction of the price I pay in Europe and the US and there are so many to choose from. My favorites are the LuLuLun Pure (pink box) and you can get them in packs (I think 30-ish facemasks in a box).
• sunscreen – Bioré UV AQUA Rich has been a game-changing sunscreen for me. It goes on smoothly, feels light (not greasy!), and has been effective for me. I put it on in the morning for daily use, but I don’t wear it for sports or swimming.
• mosquito spray – I’d heard Japanese mosquito spray works well, so I thought I’d try it. We have plenty of mosquitos in Italy, and I can confirm our Skin Vape has worked well.
• bath bombs – I brought these back for my 3-year-old and he liked the different scents and little toys inside. I liked the price!
• shichimi – This spicy powder is a perfect souvenir for family and friends who love spicy foods. It’s a blend of red chili flakes and other ingredients (like sesame seeds and ginger) and we use it on scrambled eggs, rice, noodles, and meat. A little goes a long way. You can also buy the small tin containers that look nice on the table.
• nail clippers – I’d read that Japanese nail clippers and nailcare products are high-quality, and after a year of use, we can confirm that it’s true!
• face wash – I tried the popular Senka Perfect Whip and it worked well for my skin. I also tried a couple of other brands of foaming face wash and liked them so much that I just purchased more on our trip to Vietnam.
• old coins – My son purchased some old Japanese coins from a small shop in Tokyo and they’re one of his favorite souvenirs.
• lip balm – The Nivea Rich Care & Color lip balm in French Pink is my go-to lip balm and I’m almost done with the second stick. Luckily, I’ve found it in a Japanese online shop. I also like the clear DHC lip cream.
• umbrella – You can buy clear umbrellas for the equivalent of a few dollars and they’re surprisingly great quality. We ended up bringing ours home with us and it lasted through the winter (with three kids, that qualifies as a miracle).
• baseball hat – My husband liked his unique Hiroshima Carp baseball hat. Sadly, it’s gone missing.
• shamoji – I already owned a cheap rice paddle, but I brought back a nicer one from [Tokyu] Hands.
• t-shirt – The high-quality Daruma Ojico t-shirt we bought for my husband is still being worn and it’s fared well in the washer and dryer over the year.
• Jordan sneakers and jerseys – My 6-year-old was thrilled with his new Jordan sneakers, and all three boys are still wearing their Jordan jerseys.
• kids toothbrushes
• cooling eye patches

Things We Brought Back From Japan That We Regret Buying

• chopsticks – Yes, I know chopsticks are a classic souvenir from Japan, but we already had some and rarely used them. Now we have more than we need and still rarely use them. One pair per family member is enough.
• video games – My son would disagree, but since the Nintendo Switch games are the same as the ones we can buy where we live, I don’t think they’re great souvenirs. He does still use the Nintendo Switch controller he bought in Tokyo.
• market snacks – We bought some snacks at the market in Kyoto to bring back for friends and family, but they were an overwhelming failure. I’d probably stick to something a little less ‘out-there’ in the future, like matcha Kit-Kats.
• mascara – I bought multiples of some popular mascara before trying it, and I ended up tossing it because I could not remove it. Lesson learned – try before buying multiples!
• heavy glasses – One of the pairs of eyeglasses I bought was adorable, but the metal frames were way too heavy and uncomfortable.
• no furikake – I forgot to buy some to bring home, so this regret is for not purchasing.
• too many Pokémon cards – enough said
• too many gachapon toys – While we do use some of the gachapon treats (like the coin purses), so many of the trinkets just ended up scattered around the house, unused.
• matcha-flavored gifts – While match candies and chocolates are one of my favorite souvenirs, they didn’t really go over well as gifts for others.
• green drink – I bought what I thought was a Japanese style of AG1 green vitamin drink. Unfortunately, I can’t get over the non-sweet taste. I’m trying to slowly add the powdered packets to recipes like muffins, but I wish I hadn’t bought them.
• not enough kitchenware – I regret not buying some small bowls and large kitchen utensils. I didn’t think it was the time to buy breakable dishes, but I realize now I could’ve purchased a few to use.
• no umbrella – I wish I’d brought back one of the mini Japanese pocket umbrellas.
• mosquito patches – These small patches stick on mosquito bites and offer relief. My kids use them, but prefer the ointment. I bought so many, we’ll be using them until they leave home.
• eye drops – I bought about 8 bottles, and found them to be too ‘cooling’ for my taste.

Souvenirs From Japan We Love and Use – Common Themes

Consumables are great souvenirs and gifts for others. No knick-knacks clogging up shelves! Think pens, stationary, and matcha candies.

Things we use on a daily basis. As I mentioned above, my chef’s knife from Tokyo’s Kappabashi kitchen district is my favorite souvenir from Japan. It’s excellent quality, and I use it every day (and think of our trip!). I also wear my glasses almost daily.

Japanese Souvenirs We Regret Buying – Common Themes

Things we can get at home – For example, Nintendo Switch games

Items we already have enough of at home – For example, Pokémon cards and chopsticks

Souvenirs we didn’t sample first – For example, mascara and Japanese green drink

A Few More Tips for Buying Japanese Souvenirs

Try before buying multiples! I regret bringing back multiples of mascaras, Super Mario gummy candies (only one of my sons liked them), and green drink powder packs before I sampled them. I did try Japanese face wash while in Japan, and I ended up buying multiple tubes because I liked it so much.

Don’t buy something just because everyone else is. I knew we wouldn’t use kimonos, that we didn’t need any Disney knick-knacks or stuffed animals. I’m glad we passed on these popular souvenirs.

Bring a small (or large) duffel bag to Japan. We traveled with carry-on roller bags and I packed a duffel bag that we used to put souvenirs in for the flight home. You can buy a duffel bag in Japan, but they are not cheap.

Make a pre-trip list of possible souvenirs. There are so many amazing things you could bring back from Japan! I found it helpful to have a list of ideas to glance at while we were out.

I hope this helps you with your souvenir shopping in Japan. Enjoy your visit!