Gift culture in Japan is changing, digital gifts on the rise

If you've lived in Japan for a while, you know that gift-giving is a pretty big part of social life, whether that's mid-year and year-end gifts, or birthdays and thank-you presents, or even omiyage for the office. However, according to the 2025 Gift Awareness and Reality Survey by the Halmek Institute for Living Skills, those traditions are slowly shifting, especially among older generations.

The survey asked 579 Japanese women aged 50 to 87 about their gifting habits, and found that almost everyone still gives gifts, with a total of 97.8% of respondents reported giving something in the past year. However, opportunities for traditional gift-giving (particularly mid-year and year-end gifts) have dropped by 18.1% since 2017. Many seniors explained that these gifts were once seen as a social lubricant, but are now sometimes viewed as a hassle or unnecessary.

Image created via Canva

At the same time, digital gifts are gaining attention. About 90% of respondents were aware of options like LINE Gift or Amazon Gift Certificates, and roughly 60% have actually given a digital gift. People praised digital gifts for being convenient and low stress, especially for small thank yous, birthday presents, or easy returns for kindness, but some felt they lacked the personal touch of traditional gifts, or were worried that recipients might not know how to use them.

Preferences are changing too. Many respondents said they prefer practical items over decorative ones, such as food, gift certificates, or experience-based gifts like movie tickets or spa passes. I've seen a few gifting/finance surveys this year noting that trend, too. A lot of people mentioned that they want to avoid clutter and unnecessary possessions, and I think as expats that probably rings true for some of us. It's something I try to be acutely aware of, as I know I won't be here in Japan forever and will need to ship things back to my country of origin eventually. 

Do you prefer traditional, physical gifts, or are you more of a gift certificate/experiences fan?