Japanese Gift Wrapping
From Giftypedia
When giving gifts or sending presents in Japan, it is customary to show special care not only to the contents, but to the way a gift is wrapped and the wrapping itself. In Japanese culture, gift wrapping can be as important as the gift.
Except among close family members, gifts must not be unwrapped in front of the donor of the gift.
[edit] Styles of Japanese Gift Wrapping
There are many detailed rules and customs of gift wrapping, many of which imply how you feel towards the person and the the message of giving them a gift.
Color symbolism is also important in Japanese gift giving. Red, for example, symbolizes life and vitality, so this type of wrapping signifies that a gift is for a favorable or fortunate occasion. [1]
With an envelope, the fold must be on the left, preferable with an odd number of folds.
Tsutsumi
One style of Japanese gift wrapping, called tsutsumi, uses paper and cloth to create simple but elegant wrappings for gifts, presents and packages.
Origata
Another style, origata, is the art of gift-wrapping using handmade paper (washi) to express beauty, etiquette and culture. Origata uses techniques seen in origami.
Unlike other forms of gift wrapping, this style allows the gift itself to be exposed. For example, high quality tea leaves are often given as a present in Japan. When rapping black tea (known as ko-cha, or “red tea”), red paper inserted in a slit on the top of the package, then overlaid with a film. This indicates what is in the package.
A sophisticated system of rules has been created for origata wrapping. The style depends on the gift recipient, the occasion, and even the season.
Furoshiki
A furoshiki is a large piece of cloth that is used for wrapping a gift. This technique is perfect for birthdays, holidays, weddings, or everyday marketing and shopping. This technique was originally used to carry clothes to the bathhouse. Made in a variety of sizes, the cloth is extremely handy and can be folded up after each use to wrap or carry something else.
The Japanese Ministry of Environment has been promoting furoshiki to promote recycling, as the cloth can be reused for different occasions, reducing waste.
It is very flexible as a wrapping technique and lends itself to various shapes and sizes of packages. There is even a way to wrap and carry two bottles together.
[edit] Related
- Japan Gift Giving Customs
- Japanese Holidays
- Eco Friendly Gift Giving
- The Handcrafted Gift Phenomenon
- Tips for Personalizing Gifts
