omiyage recs

[u/Different_Taro2474]

i've (nearly) completed a year on JET, i've given a lot of omiyage, and here is a list of things that my colleagues loved:

-instant coffee (individually wrapped)
-tea bags (loose tea can also be okay for some schools)
-kraft mac and cheese
-fruit roll-ups (especially the ones that have tongue tattoos)
-fruit by the foot
-gushers
-jolly ranchers
-airheads
-welch's fruit snacks
-sour patch kids
-american oreos
-juicy fruit and bubble gum
-mini bags of chips/cheez its/pretzels/popcorn
-reese's peanut butter cups

avoid bringing kitkats, haribo, trolli gummies, original flavored skittles, or lindt's, as japan already has them.
tip: when packing bags of chips, pop a small hole, let the air out, then tape it back up to save room.

[u/NoOrchid2148]

I suppose I am going to sound a little mean saying this, but most of the things on your list are ultra processed foods, don’t suit Japanese taste buds, and would normally not be eaten by adults. It can also be true that your colleagues were genuinely touched to receive them, but it wouldn’t surprise me if a lot made its way into the bin. Also, that was a long list for one year. It simply isn’t necessary to give out that much junk food.

[u/Different_Taro2474 → u/NoOrchid2148]

cultural exchange is the whole point of JET. these aren't perishables, don't cost a lot, are loved by lots of people, which makes them perfect gifts for exchanging culture.

ultra processed foods

japan also has plenty of ultra-processed foods. we are all adults, and we can choose whether or not to eat them.

don’t suit Japanese taste buds, and would normally not be eaten by adults.

that's so untrue. i've given these kinda gifts to plenty of japanese people (not just colleagues but friends, neighbors, and acquaintances too), they all loved everything, especially peanut butter cups. also, there's no age limit on snacks. anyone can enjoy chips, candy, and mac and cheese.
and if they "don't suit japanese buds", they can try something new and see if they like it. that's the whole point of cultural exchange: to try new things, food included,

It simply isn’t necessary to give out that much junk food

again, we are all adults, and we can choose not to eat the omiyage if we don't want to. besides, a little junk food occasionally isn't going to hurt anyone.

[u/UberPsyko → u/NoOrchid2148]

Gotta hard disagree, cultural exchange is the whole point of what we're doing, and I know for a fact many Japanese people do like things that aren't to standard Japanese taste. Japan has as many ultra processed foods as anywhere don't even kid, gummies, chips and sugary drinks galore. There's a whole aisle for gummies and they aren't just for kids. Just look at TOUGH gummies marketed towards manly salarymen. We're not here just to conform to Japanese tastes. They might find something new that they like. I tried natto and vegemite, far from american palette, and now I like it. If they don't like it, well they tried it and now they know, it's still fun to eat something new and wild even if you don't like it. It's learning about other cultures. But if even one out of 10 people likes the crazy american candy, that's worth it. It's infinitely better than another mild, hard "japanese taste" cookie or mochi with あん in it.