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Evening Snow Blending River and Sky, from Eight Views of Xiao-Xiang by Tani Bunchō, 1788

Afterglow · Room 3, Holidays

Japan's year-end gifts: oseibo, New Year visits and timing

Tani BunchōEvening Snow Blending River and Sky, from Eight Views of Xiao-Xiang1788Cleveland Museum of Art · CC0 · hung
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Overview

The guide, in short

Oseibo year-end gifts are traditionally sent from early December to about December 20; a gift that misses that window can go as a New Year gift from December 26 to January 7. International orders take 45 days or longer, so order as early as you can.

Custom When What it is
Oseibo Early December to about Dec 20 A thank-you gift for the year, to family, mentors and business contacts
Onenga Dec 26 to Jan 7 A New Year gift, often used when oseibo is late
Otoshidama New Year Money in small envelopes for children

Timing, plainly

Orders can take up to 15 days to process and delivery to Japan 45 days or longer, so ordering now gives the best chance but no promise. If your gift arrives after the 20th, it can still be given as onenga in the first week of January.

What suits it

Oseibo leans practical: things a household uses up or uses every day. Good fits:

  • Cotton towels
  • Reusable beeswax food wraps
  • Small, useful gifts under $50

Before you order

Duties and taxes may be due on delivery unless checkout shows them prepaid, and not every product ships to every country, so check at checkout. Orders to Japan are final sale except for rights local law gives you that can't be waived.

Shop: Cotton towels · Beeswax wraps · Gifts under $50

On the way out

The museum shop

Take one home

Australian Cotton Towels

$149.00

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Nautilus Australian Cotton Towels

$31.00

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