7. A simple but useful handkerchief.
“You can never own too many handkerchiefs, and if it’s a simple design, I can use it daily and be reminded of the nice souvenir,” smiles one Japanese woman in her early 20s. In Japan, it’s customary to carry tissues and a handkerchief with you, and it’s considered good manners to have a handkerchief ready to dry your hands, etc. (Note: they are not for blowing your nose! You use tissues for that.) It’s a compact and useful souvenir, and many Japanese women surveyed thought it would make a great gift. Don’t pick a design that’s too loud or eccentric. Those will end up at the bottom of her drawer.