June 25, 2011

Souvenirs from Sado Island/佐渡島のおみやげ

The other other day, my daughter went to Sado Island on her graduation trip. Here are some of the souvenirs she bought for her family and relatives:
先日、娘が卒業旅行で佐渡島に行きました。家族や親戚に買ったお土産の一部です。

Sado Kaki Chocolate:
佐渡柿チョコレート：
Sado is famous for its okesa gaki (< kaki = persimmon). 佐渡はおけさ柿で有名です。



Right: Ichigo Choko (strawberry chocolate) Daifuku
Left: Strawberry Pie
右：　いちごチョコ大福
左：　いちごパイ
Sado is also known for its Crested Ibis.
佐渡はまた、朱鷺（トキ）で知られています。
Milk Cookies:
ミルククッキー：
Sado no Kinzan (gold mine) Koban (oval gold coin) Ame (candy):
佐渡の金山小判飴：
And, Sado is very famous for its gold mine.
そして、佐渡は金山でとても有名です。
This particular candy is very popular among elementary school pupils. Many buy several bags so that they can give several candies to each of their friends.
この飴は小学生にとても人気があります。多くの小学生が、友達にそれぞれ飴を幾つかあげられるよう、何袋も買います。
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10 comments:

  1. SissiJune 26, 2011 at 12:53 AM

    Beautiful candies! (I love the packages, typically Japanese cute animals :-)
    It's a wonderful habit of bringing gifts for the family and friends. I do this when I go somewhere, I have a close friend who brings me food whenever she goes to her native country, but I noticed few people do this in Western countries.

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  2. HiroyukiJune 26, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    Sissi: Gift giving is customary in Japan. It can sometimes be stressful to think about whom to give gifts and what to give them. Luckily, we don't have a custom of tipping.

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  3. SissiJune 26, 2011 at 7:56 PM

    Yes, I have heard about it! I was very surprised to see the tipping is not a custom. Passing straight from Japan to the US must be a great shock (I have heard if you don't give a tip in a US restaurant, they will run behind you and catch you in the street! Awful!)

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  4. HiroyukiJune 26, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    Sissi: Some Japanese, especially the middle-aged and the elderly, give some money to the nakai (serving lady) when they stay at a Japanese inn, but that's not at all mandatory.

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  5. SissiJune 27, 2011 at 1:42 AM

    Hiroyuki, thank you. I will remember that if one day I have the pleasure to stay at a Japanese inn (I hope I will!).

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  6. HiroyukiJune 27, 2011 at 7:32 AM

    Sissi: Such money is called kokoro zuke 心づけ. It's good to remember the word and the custom, but don't attempt to follow the custom!!

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  7. SissiJune 27, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    I suppose they might get really angry...

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  8. HiroyukiJune 27, 2011 at 9:39 PM

    Sissi: Believe me, they won't!

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  9. SissiJune 28, 2011 at 8:19 PM

    They will understand I am just an ignorant foreigner ;-)

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  10. HiroyukiJune 28, 2011 at 9:26 PM

    Sissi: (Laugh) Joking aside, service charges are included in accommodation charges, so you don't have to pay any extra money to the nakai (serving lady).

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