準備 (junbi) – preparation; setup; arrangements; provision; reservations.
I’ve got most of the preparations for the trip already done. It is difficult to determine what you might need for 6 months, but I figure that if I get the most important things sorted (flights, school, apartment) then I can blag the rest once I arrive. Japan is a pretty advanced place after all, such that if I need a toothbrush I will likely be able to locate one without incurring undue stress.
One thing I needed to sort out ahead of time, are the gifts I needed to get for various people I’d like to make a good impression with. There is a strong culture of gift-giving in Japan, called お土産 (omiyage), whereby anyone going off for a holiday or trip is generally expected to bring back souvenirs for their close friends, colleagues, family, etc. It is somewhat more culturally embedded in Japan than most other countries, where you might get a present for people, instead you really should get something.
What to get though? I did a bit of digging and it appears to be somewhat of a fine art, choosing something that is both representative of the place you visited, but not too tacky and not too expensive. With this in mind, I scoured Amazon for various British trinkets, before arriving on these delightful set of English teas. It feels like they will tick all the boxes, however I will report back here with the results, positive or otherwise.
English Tea Shop Gift Sets
With these packed, I think I’m all set to go! Now there are just 4 days of work between myself and a Korean Air flight to Fukuoka.