Many people will ask a guest to open a gift, but if they do not, the Japanese will resist the urge to ask if they can open the gift. Since the act of accepting a gift can create a sense of unfulfilled obligation on the part of the receiver, gifts are sometimes refused, depending on the situation.
Seasonal gifts
There are two gift seasons in Japan, called seibo (歳暮) and chūgen (中元). One is for winter and the other is for summer. Gifts are given to those with whom one has a relationship, especially the people who have helped the gift giver.
It is considered impolite to go to someone's house without a gift. In Japanese this is called tebura (手ぶら) (empty-handed). A gift is usually brought in a paper bag (preferably a bag from the shop where you bought the gift) and is taken out of the bag, which is placed underneath the gift when giving it to the host, using both hands. The gift is often presented when shown into the living room, saying"tsumaranai mono desu ga" つまらないものですが ("this is but a trifle", literally "[this] is a boring thing but...") to show modesty. However, in business or professional situations, one should avoid framing the gift in such terms, as it denotes the insignificance of the gift and therefore belittles the recipient's worth. Phrases such as "honno o shirushi de gozai masu ga" "ほんのお印（しるし）でございますが" (meaning, "it only amounts to a symbol of my appreciation, but...", implies gratitude towards the recipient that the giver cannot fully express) fit well within professional and societal etiquette. If the host offers something, it is polite to make a soft declination saying "okizukai naku" お気づかいなく (please don't go through the trouble), but the guest can gladly accept if the host asks for the second time.
[edit]Impolite gifts
Some items prominently displaying the numbers 4 should not be given, since the reading of 4 (shi) suggest death (shi). The number 9 should also be avoided as one of the readings of 9 (ku) associates suffering (ku).[8] Clocks, scissors, and knives are not appropriate gifts because of the symbology of time running out and cutting the relationship, respectively.[citation needed]
[edit]Other gifts
Another custom in Japan is for women to give men chocolate on Saint Valentine's Day.[9] The chocolate can be given to the object of the woman's affection, or to any man the woman is connected to. The latter is called giri-choko (義理チョコ) (obligation chocolate). Men who receive chocolate on Valentine's Day give something back to those they received from, one month later on White Day.
[edit]Souvenirs
In tourist spots in Japan, souvenirs (omiyage, especially meibutsu) are a big business. There are souvenir stands at train stations selling gifts from far-away areas for those who are returning and forgot to buy or didn't want to carry around a gift. There are also services that deliver regional souvenirs from places in Japan or from foreign countries to be used as souvenirs.
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