Gift ideas of a Japanese tutor?

ClarkH · 17 Oct 2012

I'll be visiting Japan in 2 months. I've been studying Japanese with a tutor here in the U.S. and would like to get a gift for her. Could you help me with some ideas of appropriate gifts? Nothing too large or expensive.

I understand that food are the most common gifts in Japan, but I don't really want to travel with food. A little about my tutor:

She's 27 from Osaka.
She's been in the U.S. for 3 years. She was in Japan until then.
We've been studying together weekly for 7 months. We're pretty friendly even outside of our tutoring sessions!
She has a pretty good sense of humor too! Very friendly. I joke with her, like asking if she's a 窶堙｢窶堋ｭ窶堋ｴ, because she has a tattoo and some piercings.
She's in college here currently, undeclared major.
She says she's not very tech savvy.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

ClarkH · 18 Oct 2012

I'm not necessarily looking for something specifically for her. I'd like something more generic or traditional. Like, if there are any common gifts that students may give their teachers in Japan, I think that'd be perfect!

ewww · 18 Oct 2012

Have no idea about gifts for a teacher. The book, which I am reading as preparation to japanese test,
contains several dialogues, where students are discussing gift to a teacher, they choosed a tea-coffee cup
several times, and some sport gear once.

For my short stay in Japan I received gift of spectacularily well packed pack of soba three
times from three different people in three different places. The last one is still on the table
in my bedroom with business card from some realter, it contains handwrited instruction on english how to
cook soba

One my friend, who is living in states, very happy to receive any food from japan:
sweets, cookies, tea, etc. Once we gave him dried squid, he was so happy. BTW,
giving that dried squid was bad idea. He did read instruction and placed it into microwave
for 20 seconds, beleive me it is heavy mass destruction weaponery, I thought that it is my last day.

For my friends I brought tea, candies and kokeshi dolls.

Glenski · 18 Oct 2012

Ask what she misses, especially if it's specific to Osaka. Get it. Likely, it'll be some kind of tea, cookie, rice cracker, or cake. I wouldn't spring for anything else (doll, tapestry, key chain, etc.) because she probably has them or doesn't need something traditional (like a foreign tourist would).

Davey · 18 Oct 2012

Agree with Glenski! Just ask her, or find out what kind of things she likes. Maybe she likes the Hanshin Tigers?

Just go into a department store such as Daimaru and buy her a sweets gift (wrapped) up there might be a good idea as well. Or since she is a teacher, buy her some teaching materials since they are cheaper here than in the states.

Glenski · 18 Oct 2012

Do not buy teaching materials blind. Let a teacher choose their own.

ClarkH · 18 Oct 2012

Ideally, I'd prefer if this were a surprise, rather than "what can I fetch for you from Japan?"

Mike Cash · 19 Oct 2012

Speaking as someone who has also been years away from his home country, I would a thousand times more appreciate somebody asking what they can fetch me rather than a surprise gift. If you're going to do me the favor of schlepping something, make sure it is something I want but can't get myself. After all, it is the thought that counts and this displays an even greater degree of thoughtfulness.

ClarkH · 19 Oct 2012

I will ask her if she would like anything in particular, but I was really wondering if there were any traditional gifts that students give their teachers in Japan.

Glenski · 19 Oct 2012

Basically, I've never heard of any traditional gifts or gifts of ANY kind from students to teachers in the 14 years I've taught here. People usually buy a local food delicacy, as I mentioned above, and hope for the best.

Gift ideas of a Japanese tutor?

ClarkH

先輩

ClarkH

先輩

ewww

I am Groot

Glenski

Just me

Davey

先輩

Glenski

Just me

ClarkH

先輩

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

ClarkH

先輩

Glenski

Just me

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