One of the best things ever about traveling to a new country is shopping, you can literally go shopping for hours. What’s better than exploring and looking for things to buy during your holiday? And even better, a holiday in Japan where you can get various items, arts, and Japanese traditional souvenirs.
You can get souvenirs from Japan for your loved ones to let them know how much you love them. And since these Japanese souvenirs aren’t just trinkets, they’ll also help you remember how fun your stay was.
Whether you’re looking for delicious treats or anime figurines, this list provides the best souvenirs from Japan. Although this list includes a lot of popular things to buy in Japan, you’ll also find a curated list you won’t see anywhere else. If you’re ready, let’s dig in.
30 Best Things To Buy In Japan on Your Next Visit
Before diving into what to buy, it’s helpful to know a few things about shopping in Japan. From tax-free purchases for tourists to regional specialties and cultural etiquette, these small tips can make your souvenir hunt even more enjoyable. Whether you’re exploring local markets or department stores, knowing what to expect will go a long way.
1. Japanese Hand Fans (Sensu)
These beautiful Japanese hand fans can be used all year round. And as you’ve probably found out by now, they are one of the best Japanese souvenirs.
You can get colorful sensu fans with either traditional ukiyo-e art or modern designs. They are also very portable because you can easily fold them and place them into your bag or pocket.
2. Lucky Cats (Maneki Neko)
Maneki Neko, popularly called the Chinese waving cats, is believed to bring the owners good luck and fortune. As a rule, the maneki is to be placed in a busy area because it is said that the cats love people being around.
But if you want to buy it, then you can place it at the entrance to your house, your living room, or in your office. And surprisingly, these lucky cats are Japanese statues and not Chinese as the name implies.
3. Chopsticks
Since coming to Japan, how many times have you tried to eat with chopsticks? Chopsticks are a major part of the Japanese dining experience. And when eating traditional meals like sushi and ramen, you’ll need it.
You can get the colorful ones as souvenirs, too, if you mostly eat with a fork and spoon. And it comes in a range of prices from the cheap colorful ones to the expensive glittering ones.
4. Kit Kat Matcha, Milk Tea – Japan-exclusive flavors
Japanese Kit Kats are made very differently from other countries, and they have so many flavors that are so delicious. They’re also believed to have good luck, so this is something you can buy in Japan as a small gift or good luck charm.
With over 400 flavors, some of the best to get are the milk tea flavor, dark matcha flavor, or a Yokubari double dark matcha if you want a chocolate flavor with a bit of dark matcha.
5. Pokemon Noodles
Noodles will always be a delicious meal, but character-themed noodles? Now we’re talking. The taste and aroma of these noodles are perfect for any soup. And the way the broth is made, you get to enjoy the soup and noodles as one meal.
You can get delicious seafood noodles that come with pork, chicken, and sweet corn. You can now say you bought a yummy souvenir from Japan.
6. Wagashi
There are sweets and there’s wagashi. Since you’re in Japan then you’ve probably had this Japanese sweet served alongside green tea, so you can testify to its deliciousness. There are different types of wagashi made with different ingredients and styles.
You can get these delicious Japanese souvenirs at supermarkets, convenience stores, and food stands.
7. Suntory’s Yamazaki
Yamazaki is Japan’s first and oldest malt whisky distillery that uses fresh natural materials to create some of the best whisky in the world. They always produce whisky that shows the best part of the Japanese people from the motifs to the Aritayaki.
If you know your whisky, then you know you can’t leave Japan without getting this as a souvenir for your loved one back home.
8. Ripery’s Sugar
No, this is not a sweet you can buy in Japan, but a custom-made shoe collection. You can’t find an exact replica of a shoe here, cos every pair is totally unique.
But if you really want a particular design from their gallery, you can order a copy of it or maybe get something familiar. You’ll really love these items, and you surely won’t see shoe designs like this again.
9. Washi Tape
This decorative tape is not just functional, but also brings the creativity you need as a crafter. These tapes are durable, lightweight, colorful, and allow you to bring a personal touch to your craft.
You can use these to create borders, frames, or highlight sections on your scrapbooks, journals, and handmade cards. Washi tapes are only limited by your creativity, so they can be used for home decor, gift wrapping, and even labeling.
10. Japanese Learning Books
To be able to relate easily with the locals, you’ll need to get a learning textbook so you can learn simple Japanese phrases. These Japanese textbooks are a fun way to learn the Japanese language and can be a good souvenir for a friend.
The textbooks should have dialogues, vocabulary lists, grammar explanations, exercises, and kanji practice. But after the textbook stage, you’ll need to read books, watch J-dramas, and listen to podcasts to learn better.
11. B-side Label
B-Side Labels are high-quality waterproof stickers that you can use for your car, bike, suitcase, surfboard, and even water bottles. These Japanese souvenirs are super cute and come in a variety of sizes, styles, and designs.
You can also get apparel, accessories, and stationery, all with their unique creative style. You can go to the main store in Omotesando or any of the branches in Japan.
12. Tenugui
These traditional Japanese towels have beautiful designs and are not like the Western towels you’re used to, so they make very good souvenirs. You can get tengui of various patterns, lucky charms, and humorous designs.
And can be used for other things other than just drying your body. You don’t have to worry about the price cos they’re cheap and can be gotten at any sightseeing spots, museums, inns, and departmental stores.
13. Wind Chimes
Japanese wind chimes are used in Japanese festivals, temples, and houses to ward off evil spirits. During the summer, you’ll always hear the ringing sound on the balconies and porches once you pass through the streets.
These small bells are so cute and made up of furin, tanzaku, and strips of colorful paper to create a cool, refreshing feeling.
14. Japanese Masks
You can get this beautiful headwear if you want to attend festivals and masquerade balls looking exotic. This mask is made from clothes, paper, or fabrics and is worn to conceal the wearer’s identity.
They’re part of the traditional Japanese culture, so they’re worn during theatrical performances, traditional festivals, and religious rituals. But you can wear this for fashion or as a face mask – and moreover, it’s also believed to ward off evil spirits.
15. Drawstring Pouches
In Japan, these drawstring pouches are used to carry small personal items like coins, lucky charms, cosmetics, and hand warmers. So they make a very good souvenir for you to buy.
You can even choose to buy the larger versions, the maiko bags, which are similar in size to a tote bag. These pouches are so cool that some fashion brands pair them with a Kimono dress.
16. Bamboo Rolling Mats
The Bamboo rolling mats are nonstick mats used to make sushi at home. They’re portable and easy to clean, so this is one of the things to buy in Japan, so you can make delicious homemade sushi rolls, rice balls, and seaweed rice.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner, cos these sushi mats are easy to use either in the kitchen or the restaurant.
17. Japanese Teacups
The Japanese teacup is much more than just a hot beverage vessel. And fun fact – it doesn’t even have a handle. So it plays a big role as part of the traditional tea-tasting process and experience.
If you’re not having a tea ceremony, you can still get this as a souvenir from Japan that you can use to drink sake or green tea.
18. Japanese Snacks
Possibly the most important thing to buy in Japan to take back home is snacks, cos who doesn’t like them? From sweet to salty to savory, you’ll find various snacks from candies to desserts and crackers that will get you hooked.
Most of these Japanese snacks, like the crunchy rice crackers, are made of rice, but they have so many ingredients that make them more delicious.
19. Sanrio Products
At Sanrio, you can get various Hello Kitty items from cartoon-based lifestyle bundles to tomato-red retro cameras. Everything you can possibly imagine inspired by the cat-themed icon can be found in this store.
From statement footwear to monopoly games, stationery, hair ties, and bags, these products make very good Japanese souvenirs.
20. Figurines – Various Japanese-style miniatures
The miniature figurines sold in Japan are just proof that the Japanese are experts in crafting small, intricately designed objects. There are so many types of figurines you can get as souvenirs, but the most common one is the Bonsai tree pot.
Or you can get these little but beautifully crafted toys that display seasons, scenes, and important events.
21. Japanese Tea Sets
Since you’re in Japan, you’ve probably attended a Japanese tea ceremony, and you know one of the important parts of this ceremony, apart from the tea, is the tea sets. There are so many shapes and styles of tea sets, but the basic set has a teapot, a yunomi, a tea canister, and a plate. So with these, you can even have a matcha tea ceremony when you go back home.
22. Japanese Knives
These Japanese knives are skillfully and beautifully made by artisans who live in the samurai city of Saki. They’re very sharp and each is designed for a specific purpose. So, you can get one of these multipurpose knives for meats, fish, and vegetables as well.
From the Santoku to the Gyutou, Usaba, Nakiri, Sujihiki, Yanagi, and Takobiki, you’ll have to buy based on what you want to use it for. As a chef or cook, I know these knives are one of the coolest things to buy in Japan.
23. Omamori
You’ll find most locals and tourists with these lucky charms, so that makes them the best Japanese souvenirs you can get. They come in different designs and styles, but they’re meant to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck.
You can buy Omamori for prosperity, happiness, safe driving, and even cybersecurity at most shrines, temples, and arcades in Japan.
24. Hanko
A hanko is a traditional personal stamp used as a substitute for written signatures in Japan. You can make your hanko with your name chiseled, converted to katakana, alphabetical, or even kanji writing.
You can even choose to have it engraved from left to right or top to bottom. You might be confused, but once you get to these hanko stores, you’ll best these are the best souvenirs from Japan.
25. Ema
You’ll find these wooden prayer tablets mostly in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. They’re part of the traditional religious and cultural practices that show what’s in the heart of people.
When you get the ema plaque, you’re meant to write your wishes, prayers, or gratitudes and offer them to the enshrined deities. And if you want, you can get it as a Japanese souvenir to remind you of your wish.
26. Daruma Dolls
The Daruma dolls might be a traditional setting for goals, but they look like scary, bearded men, hollow dolls painted in red with a white face and gold detailing. They symbolize the fighting spirit needed to overcome adversity and misfortune.
So when you get this as a souvenir from Japan, you are wishing the person good luck and perseverance. And if you receive it as a gift, you’re to set a goal, and it will remind you to persevere until the goal is achieved.
27. Manga
If you’re a comic book lover, then you already know that manga is possibly the best souvenir you can get in Japan. Japanese comic books and graphic novels are one of the most popular forms of storytelling.
You can find manga on romance, sports, science fiction, fantasy, and horror at most bookshops and manga stores. What could be better than getting Naruto or One Piece manga as a Japanese souvenir?
28. Sou Sou Kyoto
How cool will it be to give your loved one a Japanese Kimono or Yukata as one of the souvenirs you got from Japan? And what’s better? The Sou Sou brands design these outfits in a way that makes them wearable even on a casual day.
This brand has about 8 stores in Kyoto selling kimonos, yukatas, bags, shoes, sportswear, and textiles. So you can even get more traditional outfits as your souvenir from Japan.
29. Furoshiki
The furoshiki is that perfect Japanese souvenir that you can turn into anything you want. You can use it as a wrapping fabric, a lunch box, a tablecloth, a hamper, and even a temporary sling.
You’ll probably think it’s just a fabric, but this is traditional Japanese craft and history at its finest. The Musubi shop in Tokyo sells the best traditional furoshiki clothes, so even when you visit, it’s going to be hard to just choose one.
30. Tsuko-tegata
Tsuko-tegata is an ancient travel ticket used during the Edo period in Japan. That time travel was restricted, so if you wanted to go to another province, you had to display your tsuko-tegata. Now, you’ll find these wooden passports at temples, shrines, and hot springs resorts in Japan.
They usually have a bell and braided string attached and are used as a symbol or proof of who has visited. This is one of the things to buy in Japan if you plan to visit these temples, so you can prove you were there too.
Conclusion
Buying souvenirs from Japan won’t be a problem cos they are cheap, small, practical, and most are easy to find. But if you really want a Japanese souvenir that is really unique, you may need to explore the hidden shops in areas with fewer tourists.
But no matter what, getting souvenirs like tengui towels, sensu fans, kimonos, and matcha kitkats is like taking part in the Japanese culture back home. So grab your shopping bags and cash or card, and get ready to get the best souvenirs from Japan in 2025.
