THE MATERIAL CULTURE OF GIFT GIVING IN JAPAN - TAASA Review September 2018

THE MATERIAL CULTURE OF GIFT GIVING IN JAPAN – TAASA Review September 2018

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This article was originally found in the September 2018 edition of TAASA Review (Volume 27, Issue 3, Page 18).

The full article is available for free to TAASA Members.

Martha Chaiklin I s there anything that attracts more curiosity and excitement than a beautifully wrapped gift? We often say it is the thought that counts in gift-giving, but one concrete way to convey that thought is through presentation.

In Japan, where giftgiving is a ubiquitous and important form of social interaction, there are numerous conventions, not just around the occasion for the gift or its content, but for the way it is presented.

Seasonal events such as the New Year and those that mark rites of passage are all guided by specific customs...