What is omiyage?
When returning from a trip to Japan, more often than not, we will find ourselves deliberating over the perfect omiyage (お土産 souvenir) to bring home to our family and friends. Despite it being a distinctively Japanese custom, gifting souvenirs is something that most of us do to share our travel memories with our loved ones, or to show gratitude to our co-workers who have covered for us while we were away.
So what exactly is an omiyage? Consisting of the two kanji 土 (tsuchi earth/ground) and 産 (san product), the word omiyage translates to “local product” that are made specifically as gifts, and thus, souvenirs. Since souvenir-shopping is an integral part of travelling, making a list in advance would be wise! But first, we have to decide where to get your omiyage. When narrowing down our options, what better place to consider than at Tokyo’s most iconic train station: Tokyo Station (東京駅 Tōkyō-eki).
Where to start?
As many seasoned travellers may know, Tokyo Station is one of the city’s key transport hubs, connecting the country through a plethora of local lines and shinkansen line that run to Hokkaido (北海道) in the far north, and to Fukuoka Prefecture (福岡県 ) in the far south. Not only does the station contain a wealth of shopping and dining opportunities, the surrounding areas also offer some of the city’s best sights.
Taking a closer look in Tokyo Station, the perfect place to begin our hunt for omiyage will be at Gransta Tokyo (グランスタ 東京). You may find the task of locating this omiyage haven daunting due to the sheer size of the station, but don’t worry—Tokyo Station is equipped with informative maps and signages to lead you to the destination.
When entering Tokyo Station from the outside, you should ideally tap in from the Marunouchi North Gate (丸の内北口改札) or Marunouchi Central Gate (丸の内中央口改札) to have easy access to Gransta Tokyo.
If you’re already inside the station, make your way towards the direction of the easily-recognisable Yamanote Line (山手線) on Platforms 3 and 4, and follow the signs that point to Gransta Tokyo without tapping out.
Once we have made our way there, it’s time to check out these 4 shops that sell unique and original souvenirs that you can get at Gransta Tokyo!
1. TOKYO!!!
- Recommended item: TOKYO!!! Original eco bag
- Price: ¥1,980 (Inc. tax)
At TOKYO!!!, we can find a variety of products with motifs of Tokyo—a city where various cultures are fused. Here, we can find a range of souvenirs from luxurious items to classic omiyage.
Jumping on the recent trend of eco-bags, get your hands on the TOKYO!!! Original eco bag, which features famous Japanese icons like Mount Fuji drawn entirely with exclamation marks! With plenty of capacity, this bag is easy to roll and convenient to carry— making it the perfect souvenir for your loved ones.
TOKYO!!! (トーキョーみっつ)
Shop location: Gransta Tokyo, 1F
2. Made in PIERRE HERMÉ
- Recommended item: Assortment of 6 Macarons
- Price: ¥2,808 (Inc. tax)
A shop that sends the wonderful things of Japan selected by the world-famous French pastry chef Pierre Hermé to the world. They offer carefully selected regional products, macarons, chocolates, and other baked goods. Drop by the cafe to enjoy light refreshments such as deli and sandwiches that are made using quality ingredients.
A must-try would be their best-selling product, Assortment of 6 Macarons, where you can enjoy six of their most popular flavours at once. Unique spin on using traditional Japanese ingredients such as white miso (白味噌) in their macarons, and it’s absolutely delightful!
Made in PIERRE HERMÉ (ピエール・エルメ)
Shop location: Gransta Tokyo, B1
3. OLD-FASHIONED STORE TOKYO
- Recommended item: Green Train Handkerchief
- Price: ¥1,650 (Inc. tax)
If you’re looking for a practical omiyage that you can carry around daily, then the OLD-FASHIONED STORE is the perfect place to start! Handmade by local Japanese craftsmen, these delicate handicrafts are made to showcase everyday products from a slightly different perspective.
The recommended souvenir would be the Green Train Handkerchief, which is a whimsical handkerchief adorned with motifs of green-coloured trains. If you’re a train-lover like us, this is for you!
OLD-FASHIONED STORE TOKYO (オールドファッションストアトーキョー)
Shop location: Gransta Tokyo, 1F
4. VINYL
- Recommended item: POKÉMON SHIRTS FABRIC SCRAPS KEYHOLDER
- Price: ¥1,000 (Inc. tax)
Pokémon fans rejoice! At VINYL, which is a 4-in-1 concept store which serves as a gallery, souvenir store, figurine store, and museum, you can get your hands on your very own POKÉMON SHIRTS FABRIC SCRAPS KEYHOLDER.
As it is inevitable that there will be leftover fabric when making custom Pokémon pattern shirts, the fabric is upcycled into acrylic keychains in the shapes of Pokémon which encases a piece of fabric. Even if the shapes of the keychains are the same, it is one-of-a-kind because the place where it is enclosed differs depending on how the fabric is taken.
VINYL (ビニール)
Shop location: Gransta Tokyo, 1F
Need more ideas?
It may be tricky navigating this maze-like station to locate the shops we are looking for, but it is all worth it at the end of the day to get our hands on the best omiyages to bring home. If you’re a fan of yummy Japanese snacks but desire something apart from the mainstream omiyage such as Tokyo Banana or assorted KitKats, do check out other omiyage that you can only buy in Tokyo Station here.
Stand a chance to win a Tokyo Omiyage
Did any of the omiyage that we’ve mentioned interest you? Well, you’re in luck! JAPAN RAIL CAFE is holding a quiz where you can stand a chance to bring home your very own Tokyo Station City omiyage. To participate, simply answer a few simple questions after reading this article. The closing date of the quiz is on 31 May 2021, open to all residents of Singapore.
This article is written in collaboration with Tokyo Station City.
Header image credit: ©2021 Pokémon. ©1995-2021 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc. ポケットモンスター・ポケモン・Pokémonは任天堂・クリーチャーズ・ゲームフリークの登録商標です)
