The winter holiday season is here (at the time of writing), and that usually means lots of shopping for that perfect gift to make those special someones feel special. The fact is that people all over the world are getting more and more into Japanese products, from skincare to snacks. That's why gifts from Japan are becoming popular options for occassions like birthdays, the holiday season and more.
If you're looking for Japanese gift ideas for women, from mothers and sisters to partners and besties, we have tons of products that women love, including our own staff and customers. So whether they're Japanophiles or just like interesting treats, we have some great gift recommendations for you!
Lucky for you (and your giftee), all of the products on this list are available right here at MiauMall! To make sure you find the right gift, we divided the list by the type of woman in your life, including savory snack lovers and kawaii enthusiasts! (Also, many of these recommendations are pretty gender-neutral, so give these options a try for the men in your life, too!)
Let's get started!
Why Choose Japanese Gifts?
Choosing a gift can be hard, with many people struggling to find something special or something that stands out. A lot of Japanese gifts are perfect already in that regard. Japanese goods already stand out in the market for their unique designs and flavors, often being distince from Western designs. However, the care and craftsmanship that goes into Japanese products elevates it even more, creating a gift that feels even more special for any giftee, Japanophile or not.
Plus, Japan has a huge gift-giving culture, which many brands and companies have tapped into to create products that are perfect for gifting to someone else or to yourself. Gifts are given for house visits, Christmas, Valentine's Day, returning from trips and so much more, so good gifts options are a must in Japan.
Japanese Savory Snack Lover
Japanese savory snacks are popular as souvenirs, especially ones made with regional ingredients, like these Jaga Pirika made with Hokkaido potatoes. Image via Instagram
Japan loves a good salty or 'umami' snack and it shows in some of the amazing snacks that Japan has put out. With newer options like potato sticks and traditional options like rice crackers, you have tons of tasty options that a savory snack lover will truly appreciate.
For a more traditional Japanese snack, try treats like senbei rice crackers or shrimp crackers that are nice and crunchy while packing great flavor. More traditional rice crackers can provide a more traditional taste of Japan, such as the Bankaku Sohonpo Sakusaku Nikki Shrimp Crackers, the Ogura Sansou 100 Tanka Poem Card Rice Crackers, and the Kyosendo Double Assorted Bean Rice Crackers. You can also give some newer-age rice crackers a try, like the Kakitane Kitchen Wasabi & Soy Sauce Rice Crackers or the Chuoken Senbei Risocotti Parmagiano Reggiano & Black Pepper Crackers, which has a more modern flavor.
Kakitane Kitchen rides the line between traditional and modern snacks with their kaki-no-tane snacks in flavors like sour cream & onion and wasabi. Image via Instagram
For more modern savory snacks, we can't recommend brands like Calbee and Glico enough. Calbee has a great series of souvenir-style boxes of potato snacks, all made with locally-sourced Hokkaido potatoes. The most famous is the Jaga Pokkuru in a salt flavor, but they have other flavors like their Salted Scallop Flavor. They also have their Potekotan Onion-Flavored Potato Bites, their Imota and Mamejiro Potato & Edamame, and their multi-colored Jaga Pirika potato squares.
You can also give Glico Pretz a try. Their series of pretzel sticks comes with different flavors that would be great for a snack-oriented gift pack. We recommend the Roasted Salted Butter and the Otsumami Smoked Cheese. You can also give their famous Cheeza Crackers a try! And for a combination of salty and sweet, give this Caramel Corn and Spicy Snack combo pack with an interesting caramel and tandoori chicken flavor.
For more Japanese snack ideas, both sweet and savory, check out our Japanese Snack collection!
Japanese Sweets Lover
Chocolate treats, like Kit Kat, are great ways to experience Japanese flavors with a sweet twist, like these fancy sake and plum wine Kit Kats. Image via Instagram
Japan loves a sweet treat, which is evident when you look at the huge variety and amazing taste of Japanese sweets. It's no wonder that tons of women and couples line up for shops that create top-tier sweet treats here. With great limited-time flavors and tasty staples, there are plenty of sweet treats that make for a perfect gift for those with a sweet tooth.
Let's start with chocolate lovers! If you're looking for straight up chocolate, definitely give Mary's Chocolate Chrismas Truffle Assortment or the Morozoff Christmas Truffle Assortment, both high-quality brands. You can also gift Japanese regional flavors in choco form with items like the Nanaya Matcha Chocolate, the Umeshu Plum Wine Kit Kats or the Kyoto Veneto Chocolaccha Matcha Chocolate.
Kyoto Veneto is a really popular brand that specializes in matcha treats, including these super tasty matcha cookies with a white chocolate & cheese center! Image via Instagram
If the sweet toothed gal in your life is more of a cookie person, you can enjoy some really great options. Kyoto Veneto makes some great matcha cookies, like their Galettcha Cookies and their Cho-berry-cha Matcha Strawberry Sandwich Cookies. For some Hokkaido exclusives, try the Milk Baton Raisin Sand Sandwiches, the Ishiya Langue de Chat Cookies, and the Hana Matcha Cream Roll Wafer Cookies.
If the giftee is more of a baked goods kind of person, there are some really tasty gift ideas that you may or may not expect from Japan. The Suzette C3 Baked Tiramisu, the Aoki Shofuan Tsukigesho, and the Ginza Senbikiya Fruit Baumkuchen Cakes are fun, delicious baked options with a uniquely Japanese twist. And an honorable mention to Milk Baton's The Waffle, which has a wonderful matcha flavor, and the Toraku Kobe Pudding for its rich, sweet Japanese-style pudding flavor!
For more sweet treat gift ideas, check out our Japanese Sweets collection for some tempting treat ideas!
The Foodie
High-quality ramen packs are a great way for any foodie to enjoy regional flavors, like this Hakata Tonkotsu Yaki-Ramen from the popular ramen shop, Ichiran! Image via Instagram
Another thing Japan is famous for is delicious food. While a fresh-made meal is always best, a set of delicious ready-made foods or ingredients for a fresh home-cooked meal can make great gifts. Let's start with the second most famous food that moved from Japan to the world: Japanese-style ramen! If the person you're shopping for is a noodle lover, try gifting a whole set of ramen or other noodles for them to try!
Ichiran is one of the most famous ramen chains worldwide, so a pack of Ichiran's Hakata Thin Straight ramen would definitely be a welcome gift for most noodle lovers. However, you can provide a unique noodle experience with the Ichiran Hakata Straight Tonkotsu Yaki-Ramen, a regional creation!
Marutai also makes some great ramen options, including their regional packs like their Hokkaido Asahikawa Shoyu Ramen and Oita Chicken Paitan Ramen. Itsuki is also great for their regional ramen packs, especially their Kumamoto ones. Try adding the Kumamoto Tonkotsu Black, and/or the Kumamoto Mokkosu Ramen to any gift set for a tasty ramen experience.
However, Japanese food doesn't just stop with Japanese-style ramen. With the cool season, hot pot bases are great additions to a Japanese food basket. Ajinomoto's Rich Chicken Paitan, Chicken Shoyu Dashi and Chicken Dashi & Salt Hot Pot Cubes are great starts in that department.
Sometimes, all a foodie needs to get by is that perfect sauce that they can use level up their favorite treats. Image via Instagram
Meanwhile, those who want to add a bit of sweetness to their life, we also want to add two sub-categories to the recommendations. First, matcha spreads. Matcha spreads are great on bread, toast, dessert sandwiches and more. For the matcha sweet lover, try gifting the Kuzefuku Matcha Adzuki Butter Spread or the Kanpy Uji Matcha Cream Spread.
The second category is Sugi Bee Garden's honey. While we love their Fruit-Infused Honey, our current obsession is their Matcha & Honey. It's great for making a matcha honey tea, but we love it as a topping and a substitute for syrup (especially on ice cream).
For more Japanese foodie gift ideas, browse our Ready-to-Eat and Japanese Ramen collections for gifts that are sure to please any foodier (yourself included).
The Skincare Enthusiast
Any talk about Japanese beauty will inevitably talk about Shiseido, whether it's their own products, like the Ultimune line, or any of the numerous skincare brands under them. Image via Instagram
More and more every year, people are recognizing Japanese beauty with the love and respect with think it deserves. And while both Japanese skincare and makeup are great, it might be easier for you to just browse our Japanese cosmetics section instead. That's why we're sticking to skincare recommendations in this blog.
Japan does an amazing job with skincare products that embrace the slow and steady approach, improving the skin over time, making them a great gift for skincare lovers. These brands are great places to start if you’re looking for a skincare gift that will treat your giftee to a bit of luxury in their skincare routine!
Shiseido
Shiseido is a huge cosmetics company that has tons of brands under their name. From SK-II and Cle de Peau Beaute to Fino and Anessa, Shiseido has a huge variety of amazing products at different price rates. However, for your skincare-obsessed giftee, some of the Shiseido brand products themselves can make for some great present ideas.
One of their most popular series under the Shiseido brand is the Ultimune series, which provides moisture to the skin for bounce and softness. The Ultimune Powerizing Serum is the most popular in the series and is a perfect luxury skincare gift. Some other popular products are the Complete Cleansing Microfoam, the Vital Perfection Bright Revitalizing Lotion and the Vital Perfection Advanced Cream.
If you don't know where to start, hop on the Ultimune Power Infusing Eye Concentrate & Hand Cream Set now for this limited-edition lifesaver for hands and undereyes! (There's only one left at the time of writing!)
SK-II
As someone who won an SK-II kit in the past, I can vouch for the fact that my skin felt amazing while using this brand. Image via Instagram
SK-II is one of the most well-known Japanese skincare brands worldwide and is particularly famous for their high-quality, luxurious products. Here in Japan, they also have a reputation for their amazing formulas that utilize fermentation and are highly effective, especially in providing moisture to the face.
Their most famous product is definitely the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, a toner that, from personal experience provides tons of moisture to the skin. While the rest of their products are equally amazing, their Skinpower Re-New Cream, Genoptics Spot Essence and Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser are also well-loved products!
If you don't know what items to give to your giftee, try the super easy SK-II Pitera Trial Kit or the Pitera Best Collection Holiday 2025 Edition as an easy yet luxurious skincare gift set!
Clé de Peau Beauté
Clé de Peau Beauté is more than just pretty packaging. This brand has earned its luxury status with formulas that deliver amazing results. Image via Instagram
Clé de Peau Beauté is one of the most famous Japanese luxury skincare and makeup brands, with excellent quality and fabulous formulas. My wealthy friends swear by this brand and its effectiveness while I swear by the quality of the more affordable samples. And as expected of a luxury brand, it comes at a luxury price point, which is great for making your giftee feel special.
Looking at some of their most popular products, you can't go wrong with the Clé de Peau Beauté The Serum, which is loved for the radiance, smoothness and plumpness if gives the skin. Your giftee will also enjoy luxury and great results with the UV Protective Cream, the La Crème and the Softening Cleansing Foam.
Pola
Pola isn't quite as well known overseas as some of these other brands, but those who do know it for its cutting-edge formulas and amazing results. Image via Instagram
Pola is another luxury brand but is actually outside of the Shiseido umbrella. It's been around for quite a while, officially launching back in 1946. They make general skincare products, with the most famous being the BA line, but are also known for their lines that address specific skin concerns, like wrinkles (the Wrinkle Shot line) or dullness (the Whitissimo line).
The POLA BA Face Wash is one of their most popular products for its gentle yet effective cleansing that peopel of various skin types love. The BA Cleansing Cream N is a close second! The Wrinkle Shot Serum Duo A, the White Shot SXS N essence and the Growing Shot BK scalp essence are also popular options.
Cosme Decorté
This serum is one of the most popular in Japan, currently ranking as the number one serum on @cosme, Japan's beauty ranking website. Image via Instagram
We're going to talk about one more luxury brand that feels wrong to leave off the list: Cosme Decorté. Cosme Decorté is known for great quality formulas and beautiful packaging, while also having a variety of products at different price points. The combo of beautiful packaging and effective formulas is one of the reasons their products are great skincare gift options.
Their most popular products come from the Liposome line, which is famous for the way it nourishes and maintains hydrated skin. The Liposome Advanced Repair Purple Ribon Set is a perfect way to try this line and even includes the insanely popular Liposome Advanced Repair Serum, Lotion and Cream (which we ran out of). Their AQ line is also popular, with the AQ Meliority Radiance Repair Foaming Face Wash being a popular bestseller!
For more skincare gift ideas, check out our huge Japanese Skincare collection!
The Tea & Coffee Lover
Matcha
These options, from poplar tea houses like Kamitsujien, allow people to relax and recharge with high-quality Uji matcha!
Matcha is popular with all kinds of folks, being well-known as a tasty, healthy alternative to coffee. So, it's no surprise that plenty of women hopped onto the matcha train as well. For those who love straight matcha, try matchas like the Hatoya Ryoyousha, the Kamitsujien Kyoto Uji, or the Yano Seichajo Miyabi no Shiro matchas.
For giftees who prefer a softer touch of matcha, creamy matcha lattes are the perfect in-between. Give the Tsujiri Uji Double Rich Matcha Milk Tea, the Tsuboichi Seicha Organic Matcha Latte Mix, or the Starbucks Matcha Latte (which we heard is better than the US version) a try.
Still need matcha ideas to brainstorm, check out our large Matcha collection!
Hojicha
Hojicha is a great matcha alternative, with a milder, smoky flavor, a natural sweetness and a lower caffeine content than it's green cousin. If your giftee isn't a fan of the grassier matcha, hojicha is a perfect alternative tea gift option.
HOHO Hojicha's Yorokobi no Hojicha is a great option for an easy yet mild roasted tea experience from Uji. The ITO EN Instant Hojicha is also a good everyday option that you can adjust by adjusting the amount of powder used. Meanwhile, the Yamashiro Uji Hojicha Latte is a great way to experience the flavor of hojicha with an added bit of creaminess and richness.
Hojicha, in our opinion, is a seriously underrated Japanese tea, but HOHO Hojicha is doing its part to show all of the amazing drinks and treats you can make with it. Image via Instagram
Coffee
While Japan isn't particularly known for coffee, but many people here love coffee, leading to shops and brands making a pretty solid cup and a great gift for Japanese coffee lovers. The Ajinomoto AGF Little Luxury Cafe Drip Coffee is a great small present for those who want to make a quick and easy fresh cup.
If the coffee lover in question is more of a latte person, the Cafe Latory series makes for a great instant experience. Their Rich & Melty Chocolate Latte, their Strawberry White Chocolate Latte, and their Hazelnut Latte are really tasty and ripe for customization.
Other Drink Options
Japan's tea and drink options go well beyond matcha and coffee, with plenty of unique flavors that people fall in love with. For a uniquely Japanese experience, the Kuki Sangyo Black Sesame Latte, the Meito Stardust Yuzu Black Tea and the Lupicia Chestnut Tea offer that unique experience. A giftee might also enjoy the a big beautiful box from one of Japan's high-end tea brands with the Lupicia Holiday Black Tea Box.
For more tea and coffee ideas, including matcha alternatives, fun teas and tasty coffee, check out our Japanese Tea & Coffee selection!
Honorable Mention
This cute little Mt. Fuji-shaped item is a gift that both gives a permanent piece of Japan and pays for itself over time. Image via Instagram
One gift that a coffee lover will absolutely love is a reusable filter. That idea gets a super stylish interpretation with the Kameya Japan COFIL Ceramic Coffee Filter. This reusable, paper-less coffee filter is both form and function with a beautiful Mt. Fuji-inspired design and a ceramic structure with micron holes that hold back grounds, allow natural coffee oils to pass through for a richer cup and filter out grounds and other nasties. And it's super easy to clean and only occassionally needs to be cleaned via boiling.
The Kawaii Enthusiast
Kawaii is more than just cute in Japanese. Kawaii culture is a huge part of Japan and has weaved its way into various aspects of life here, from anime to corporate mascots. With the kawaii culture comes tons of super cute characters and character products that make for a great gift! Let's look at some different areas of kawaii and some gift ideas for each!
Sanrio
How can we talk about kawaii merch without leading with Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty, Pochacco, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll and more! Image via Instagram
Sanrio really doesn't need a huge introduction, with powerhouses like Hello Kitty, My Melody and Kuromi. Sanrio creates tons of products surrounding their iconic characters, but our favorites are those limited-edition collab and creative Sanrio products that give a special feel. Functional products, like the Kuromi 5-Way Handy Fan or the 2-WAY Boston Angel Bag, are also perfect gifts.
The Sanrio Chup Chups Plush Keychains, Chiikawa x Sanrio series Plush Toys and Gal Plush Pouch Keychains are a great example of limited-edition items that a kawaii enthusiast would love. For a true Japanese feel, try out the Sanrio Kimono plushies, the Matcha Kimono Plushies or the Shogun Series Ball Chain Plushies. Sanrio's newsletter, the Ichigo Shimbun (Strawberry News), celebrated their 50th anniversary, so these Sanrio Strawberry News 50th Anniversary Plushies (also in white) are great for diehard Sanrio fans!
San-X
The Rilakkuma and Sumikko Gurashi brands are huge, allowing for collaborations with popular shops like Mister Donut, resulting in cute plushies like these! Image via Instagram
Fun Fact: San-X is a big Sanrio competitor and not at all related. And although San-X isn't quite as big as Sanrio, they still have plenty of famous kawaii characters, including Rilakkuma and his crew along with the whole corner-loving Sumikko Gurashi group. They also plenty of super cute merch out there.
Some of our current faves are their Mister Donut collab items out right now. Check out the Rilakkuma x Mister Donut Hanging Plushies, the same series' Maku Maku Plushies and the Sumikko Gurashi Angel French Donut Plushies. If you're looking for one of those super feel-good squishy plushies, give these Sumikko Gurashi Squishy Face and Rilakkuma Mochi Mochi Dango plushies a shot!
Chiikawa
This Chiikawa x Sanrio collab is great because it's unique, limited-edition and perfect for fans of either property! Image via Instagram
Chiikawa, which is actually short for Nanka Chiisakute Kawaii Yatsu, started as a web manga and quickly exploded into a huge part of the kawaii world. These cute animal-inspired characters have been turned into everything from bread and train decals to super cute plushies, which makes for a great gift!
One of our favorite Chiikawa items are the Chiikawa Bakery Bread Plushies that features the characters with a golden baked bread glow, inspired by the Chiikawa Bakery. We're also huge fans of the Chiikawa Sandwich Plush Keychains and the Tokyo Souvenir Beret Plushies.
Still looking for more ideas for your kawaii enthusiast giftee? Then check out our Kawaii Collection for more gift ideas!
The Anime & Games Fan
It can be hard to know what exactly to get an anime fan, but we recommend merch of their favorite anime shows or movies. One of our personal favorites are figures. If they have a specific figure and a bit of space in their collection, try figures or plushies, like this Banpresto One Piece Nami figure or these Figuarts Demon Slayer Gyomei and Nezuko figures!
If your giftee doesn't have a whole lot of space, mini figures, like the ones made by Re-Ment are great options. Their blind boxes have a great element of surprise for your giftee while also featuring some iconic characters, both cute and cool.
Let's take Kirby as an example. The Kirby & Words Desktop Ornaments are great for adding a cute touch to your desk or workspace. The Kirby in Pop City, the Starry Sky Camping and the Swing Kirby Twinkle Traveler figures are also perfect for a Kirby fan.
Just when we thought Kirby couldn't get any cuter, these figures come along to show us that he indeed can. Image via Instagram
If your giftee is more of a Pokémon girlie, check out some Pokémon gifts that fit into the same cute-cool category. Lean into the cute with figures like the Pokémon Romantic Collection, the Circular Diorama Collection or the Nighty Night Collection.
Meanwhile, on the cool side, we have the Pokémon Neon Party set, the Midnight Masnion Collection and the Vintage Collection Type: Steel set as a starting point! Bonus points to any cute Pokémon Plushies (we have several of the Eeveelutions available here)!
You can also try smaller gifts that are subtle ways to add anime flair to their everyday, like this Demon Slayer Hashira mug or these Spirited Away playing cards or Kiki's Delivery Service playing cards.
For more anime and game-inspired gift ideas, from plushies and figures to stationery and playing cards, check out our growing Anime Goods collection!
Re-Ment figures often combine IPs, like Pokémon, with standout designs that come together in the form of stunning figures like these! Image via Instagram
Winter holiday shopping can be tough, but with these gift ideas, you'll get ahead of the rush with a gift that's both special and high-quality for your mom, sister, friend, girlfriend or wife. And if our huge gift suggestion list isn't quite what you're looking for, get more ideas by browsing the rest of MiauMall!
