Satsuki's avatar
Satsuki

June 8, 2025

3
It’s not easy to choose a “good” souvenir

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki Japan, to attend a conference. He will also meet his former boss who lives in Nagasaki during his stay. So, he has to prepare a souvenir, but the problem is what to choose.
Where we live, there are no major and famous “It” products which make good souvenirs. For example, our vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than Tokyo but that’s a different story. We talked over a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.
When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not. If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks and tea, considering that person’s favour. If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste.
There are no strict rules for souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel it quite rude to scatter souvenirs regardless of who they are in the workplace or classroom. I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides. I wonder this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.
If the gift represents something other than kind will to share good memories or local delight, if it was “scattered” to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it. It would be much better to have some common snacks that you can get anywhere.


「いい」お土産を選ぶのは難しい。
夫が、仕事で長崎に赴くことになった。そこで先輩に久々に会うので、お土産を用意しなくてはいけないという。しかし問題は何を持っていくか。私たちの住む北関東のこの地域には、鉄板と呼べるようなお土産はない。野菜も肉も東京よりずっと新鮮で美味しいし、良いお菓子屋さんだってあるが、お土産としてどうかといったらまた別である。
少し相談して、結局は地元の、有名ではないけれど美味しいお煎餅屋さんの詰め合わせを買っていくことにした。
自分がお土産を選ぶときには、私は全く「地元のもの」にこだわらない。親しい人へのお土産なら、お気に入りのお菓子やお茶やおつまみなどから、相手も好きそうなものを買っていく。またあまり親しくない相手には、ある程度コンサバティブで名の知れた贈答品から、自分が味や品質を信頼しているものを選んで買っていく。
お土産にタブーというほどの決まりはないが、誰彼構わずお土産を配るというやり方は、個人的には少々失礼だと思っている。旅行ガイドブックなどでも「バラマキ土産にも最適!」などの表現を目にすると悲しくなる。外国のお土産屋さんでもそんな感じの商品を散見するので、この概念はおそらく他の国にもあるのではないだろうか?
地域の美味しいものや楽しい思い出をお裾分けするという温かい気持ち以外に、義理で「ばら撒かれる」ようなものは欲しくない。その辺で売っているチロルチョコでも貰った方が、私はよほど嬉しい。

Corrections

It’s not easy to choose a “good” souvenir

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

He will also meet his former boss who lives in Nagasaki during his stay.

So, he has to prepare a souvenir, but the problem is what to choose.

Where we live, there are no major and famous “It” products which make good souvenirs.

For example, oOur vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than Tokyo but that’s a different story.

I don't think "for example" fits here because "there are no famous products" in the previous sentence doesn't really connect into a distinct example in this sentence.

We talked over a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not.

local meaning 地元 is an adjective, so you can not use "from" before it unless you have "local" attach to a noun. (i.e. from [my] local area)

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks and tea, considering that person’s favourtastes.

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste.

There are no strict rules for souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel it quite rude to scatter souvenirs regardless of who they are in the workplace or classroom.

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides.

or: "very good for souvenirs to distribute"

"scatter" does not have the connotation of giving something to another person, but "distribute" does.

I would call バラマキ土産 "bulk souvenirs"

I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

If the gift represents something other than kind will to share good memories or local delight, if it was “scattered” to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.

It would be much better to have some common snacks that you can get anywhere.

Feedback

Yes I agree that giving souvenirs just so that people do not feel left out can feel superficial. Good ideas and insights! Your writing is great.

Satsuki's avatar
Satsuki

June 9, 2025

3

Thank you for your correction! Yes, most of the time I am happy to receive souvenirs, but sometimes I wish the sender didn't have to worry so much about this social habit.

It’s not easy to choose a “good” souvenir

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

He will also meet with his former boss who lives in Nagasaki during his stay.

So, he has to prepare a souvenir, but the problem is choosing one. (or: he's troubled about what to choose.)

Where we live, there are no major andor famous "It" products which make for good souvenirs.

For example, our vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than in Tokyo but that’s a different story.

We talked it over a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s local or not. (or: from a local shop/source or not.)

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks and tea, considering that person’s favourpreferences.

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and tastewhose quality and taste I can trust (or: put my trust in).

There are no strict rules for souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel it quite rude to scatterhand out souvenirs regardless of who they arto just anyone and everyone in the workplace or classroom.

わかります!

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!for large groups (or: for handing out)” in travel guides.

I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

If the gift represents something other than kind will to share good memories or local delight, if it was “scatterhanded to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.

It would be much better to have some common snacks that you can get anywhere.

Feedback

Well done! I understand. In the Philippines, most people do the same. They buy cheap souvenirs in large amounts to hand out to workmates, classmates, and distant relatives, while their close friends and loved ones receive nicer souvenirs. While I don't personally find it rude or taboo, I think it can be wasteful sometimes. It's not a good social obligation to follow in my opinion.

Satsuki's avatar
Satsuki

June 9, 2025

3

Thank you!

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

When you're giving "address-like" locations where you have a specific location then a more general location, it's normal to pause between parts.

(As an aside, Nagasaki is one of these places that people outside Japan generally know is in Japan. Similarly, Tokyo, Okinawa, Hiroshima and Kyoto are other places where you probably don't need to specify that they're in Japan)

So, he has to prepareick a souvenir, but the problem is what to choose.

"prepare a souvenir" would sound like he is making the souvenir himself (for example, preparing a meal or making a piece of art). Normally "choose" would be the most natural word here, but I went with "pick" to avoid repeating choose twice in the one sentence)

Where we live, there are no major and famous “It” products which make good souvenirs.

We talked it over a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.

"talk <something> over" needs a noun, even if the noun is just replaced by "it"

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not.

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something fromone of my favourite sweets, snacks andor tea, considering that person’s favourites.

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste.

There are no strict rules for souvenirs that mightcould be called a taboo, but I personally feel it is quite rude to scatter souvenirsindiscriminately give souvenirs to people regardless of who they are in the workplace or classroom.

"scatter" sounds more like you're just leaving them around the office or classroom, rather than giving them to people.

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for bulk souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides.

"bulk souvenirs" puts the focus a bit more on getting a lot of the same souvenir, but that comes across more natural here I think.

I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

I think Japanese souvenir culture is different to the culture in countries where I've spent a lot of time. I do think there's more emphasis on the souvenir coming from the place you went to, than about it being tailored to the recipient. There's also fewer people who you'd give a souvenir to. You might give a souvenir to your child or parent, but probably not to your coworkers. Or to someone who did something for you while you were on holiday (e.g. if someone was taking care of your house, kids or pets).

For a workplace, you might bring back a bulk set of local snacks, but you wouldn't specifically give it to individuals. Instead you might leave the snacks in a common area and tell people "I got some snacks from Nagasaki" (or wherever you went). For example, someone might buy a pack or two of Pocky if they went to Japan from here and bring those to the office.

If the gift represents something other than the kind will to share good memories or local delights, if it was “scattered”just given to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.

Satsuki's avatar
Satsuki

June 9, 2025

3

Thank you!

It’s not easy to choose “good” souvenirs

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

(1) Generally, the city and country are separated by a comma.
(2) The placement of the second comma is a little awkward. The sentence will flow more smoothly without it.

He will also meet his former boss who lives in Nagasaki during his stay.

So, he has to prepare a souvenir, but the problem is what to bring.

Where we live, there are no major and famous “It“ultimate” products which make good souvenirs.

I spent some time trying to think of a good translation for "鉄板". I think you can consider "ultimate" here.

For examplOf course, our vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than in Tokyo but that’s a different story.

(1) もちろん: of course. "For example" doesn't really make sense in this context.
(2) Be careful of what exactly you're comparing. When you write "cheaper than Tokyo", you're comparing the meat and vegetables with the literal city, while "cheaper than IN Tokyo" compares the prices.

We talked overabout it a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.

Alternatively: "After some discussion, we decided to buy..."

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not.

(1) Here, "local" is an adjective. "From local" is not grammatical.
(2) Alternatively: "I don't care whether it's made locally or not."

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks andor teas, considering that person’s favourpreferences.

(1) It should be "or" and not "and", since you're choosing only one item, and it can't be something from your favourite sweets, snacks AND teas simultaneously.
(2) It should be "teas" and not "tea", since given the context, it's likely that you're referring to more than one TYPE of tea. Although "tea" is typically an uncountable noun, when we're referring to different types of tea, we'd use "teas". The same rule can be applied to other generally uncountable nouns, like "culture", "fish", "food", etc.
(3) preferences: 好み. Alternatively: "tastes" or "likings".

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste of.

Alternatively: "gifts whose quality and taste I trust in."

There are no strict rules for what souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel ind it quite rude to scatter souvenirs regardless of who they are person is in the workplace or classroom.

(1) Souvenirs cannot be a taboo (noun), but can be taboo (adjective). However, the PRACTICE of giving souvenirs can be a taboo (noun).
(2) Alternatively: "I personally feel it is quite rude to..."
(3) Here, "they" might be interpreted to be referring to "souvenirs". You should clarify what it refers to explicitly.

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides.

I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

The phrase is "wonder if".

If the gift represents something other than kind goodwill to share good memories or local delights, if it was “scattered” to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.

(1) goodwill: friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.
(2) Alternatively, if you want to keep "kind will", adding an article like "a" or "the" would sound more natural: "something other than a kind will to share good memories..."

It would be much better to have some common snacks that you can get anywhere.

Satsuki's avatar
Satsuki

June 9, 2025

3

Thank you!

It’s not easy to choose “good” souvenirs


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki Japan, to attend a conference.


My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

(1) Generally, the city and country are separated by a comma. (2) The placement of the second comma is a little awkward. The sentence will flow more smoothly without it.

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

When you're giving "address-like" locations where you have a specific location then a more general location, it's normal to pause between parts. (As an aside, Nagasaki is one of these places that people outside Japan generally know is in Japan. Similarly, Tokyo, Okinawa, Hiroshima and Kyoto are other places where you probably don't need to specify that they're in Japan)

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

My husband is going to travel to Nagasaki, Japan, to attend a conference.

He will also meet his former boss who lives in Nagasaki during his stay.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

He will also meet with his former boss who lives in Nagasaki during his stay.

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

So, he has to prepare a souvenir, but the problem is what to bring.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

Where we live, there are no major and famous “It” products which make good souvenirs.


Where we live, there are no major and famous “It“ultimate” products which make good souvenirs.

I spent some time trying to think of a good translation for "鉄板". I think you can consider "ultimate" here.

Where we live, there are no major and famous “It” products which make good souvenirs.

Where we live, there are no major andor famous "It" products which make for good souvenirs.

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

For example, our vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than Tokyo but that’s a different story.


For examplOf course, our vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than in Tokyo but that’s a different story.

(1) もちろん: of course. "For example" doesn't really make sense in this context. (2) Be careful of what exactly you're comparing. When you write "cheaper than Tokyo", you're comparing the meat and vegetables with the literal city, while "cheaper than IN Tokyo" compares the prices.

For example, our vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than in Tokyo but that’s a different story.

For example, oOur vegetables and meat are much better, fresher and cheaper than Tokyo but that’s a different story.

I don't think "for example" fits here because "there are no famous products" in the previous sentence doesn't really connect into a distinct example in this sentence.

We talked over a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.


We talked overabout it a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.

Alternatively: "After some discussion, we decided to buy..."

We talked it over a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.

"talk <something> over" needs a noun, even if the noun is just replaced by "it"

We talked it over a little bit, and decided to buy a box of tasty rice crackers from a local store which is not very famous.

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not.


When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not.

(1) Here, "local" is an adjective. "From local" is not grammatical. (2) Alternatively: "I don't care whether it's made locally or not."

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not.

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s local or not. (or: from a local shop/source or not.)

When I choose a souvenir, I don’t care whether it’s from local or not.

local meaning 地元 is an adjective, so you can not use "from" before it unless you have "local" attach to a noun. (i.e. from [my] local area)

It’s not easy to choose a “good” souvenir


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

So, he has to prepare a souvenir, but the problem is what to choose.


So, he has to prepareick a souvenir, but the problem is what to choose.

"prepare a souvenir" would sound like he is making the souvenir himself (for example, preparing a meal or making a piece of art). Normally "choose" would be the most natural word here, but I went with "pick" to avoid repeating choose twice in the one sentence)

So, he has to prepare a souvenir, but the problem is choosing one. (or: he's troubled about what to choose.)

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks and tea, considering that person’s favour.


If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks andor teas, considering that person’s favourpreferences.

(1) It should be "or" and not "and", since you're choosing only one item, and it can't be something from your favourite sweets, snacks AND teas simultaneously. (2) It should be "teas" and not "tea", since given the context, it's likely that you're referring to more than one TYPE of tea. Although "tea" is typically an uncountable noun, when we're referring to different types of tea, we'd use "teas". The same rule can be applied to other generally uncountable nouns, like "culture", "fish", "food", etc. (3) preferences: 好み. Alternatively: "tastes" or "likings".

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something fromone of my favourite sweets, snacks andor tea, considering that person’s favourites.

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks and tea, considering that person’s favourpreferences.

If it is for somebody close to me, I would choose something from my favourite sweets, snacks and tea, considering that person’s favourtastes.

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste.


If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste of.

Alternatively: "gifts whose quality and taste I trust in."

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste.

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and tastewhose quality and taste I can trust (or: put my trust in).

If it’s for somebody I don’t know very well yet, I would choose from a list of famous, conservative and traditional gifts that I trust in their quality and taste.

There are no strict rules for souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel it quite rude to scatter souvenirs regardless of who they are in the workplace or classroom.


There are no strict rules for what souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel ind it quite rude to scatter souvenirs regardless of who they are person is in the workplace or classroom.

(1) Souvenirs cannot be a taboo (noun), but can be taboo (adjective). However, the PRACTICE of giving souvenirs can be a taboo (noun). (2) Alternatively: "I personally feel it is quite rude to..." (3) Here, "they" might be interpreted to be referring to "souvenirs". You should clarify what it refers to explicitly.

There are no strict rules for souvenirs that mightcould be called a taboo, but I personally feel it is quite rude to scatter souvenirsindiscriminately give souvenirs to people regardless of who they are in the workplace or classroom.

"scatter" sounds more like you're just leaving them around the office or classroom, rather than giving them to people.

There are no strict rules for souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel it quite rude to scatterhand out souvenirs regardless of who they arto just anyone and everyone in the workplace or classroom.

わかります!

There are no strict rules for souvenirs that might be called a taboo, but I personally feel it quite rude to scatter souvenirs regardless of who they are in the workplace or classroom.

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides.


I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides.

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for bulk souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides.

"bulk souvenirs" puts the focus a bit more on getting a lot of the same souvenir, but that comes across more natural here I think.

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!for large groups (or: for handing out)” in travel guides.

I always feel sad when I see expressions like “very good for souvenirs to scatter!” in travel guides.

or: "very good for souvenirs to distribute" "scatter" does not have the connotation of giving something to another person, but "distribute" does. I would call バラマキ土産 "bulk souvenirs"

I wonder this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.


I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

The phrase is "wonder if".

I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

I think Japanese souvenir culture is different to the culture in countries where I've spent a lot of time. I do think there's more emphasis on the souvenir coming from the place you went to, than about it being tailored to the recipient. There's also fewer people who you'd give a souvenir to. You might give a souvenir to your child or parent, but probably not to your coworkers. Or to someone who did something for you while you were on holiday (e.g. if someone was taking care of your house, kids or pets). For a workplace, you might bring back a bulk set of local snacks, but you wouldn't specifically give it to individuals. Instead you might leave the snacks in a common area and tell people "I got some snacks from Nagasaki" (or wherever you went). For example, someone might buy a pack or two of Pocky if they went to Japan from here and bring those to the office.

I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

I wonder if this concept exists in other countries, since I see such products in many souvenir shops overseas.

If the gift represents something other than kind will to share good memories or local delight, if it was “scattered” to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.


If the gift represents something other than kind goodwill to share good memories or local delights, if it was “scattered” to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.

(1) goodwill: friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude. (2) Alternatively, if you want to keep "kind will", adding an article like "a" or "the" would sound more natural: "something other than a kind will to share good memories..."

If the gift represents something other than the kind will to share good memories or local delights, if it was “scattered”just given to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.

If the gift represents something other than kind will to share good memories or local delight, if it was “scatterhanded to me as a social obligation, I don’t need it.

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

It would be much better to have some common snacks that you can get anywhere.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

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