Omiyage of Ibaraki
If you work or live in Japan, you will soon learn about Omiyage, or "Souvenirs".
Whenever people in your office go on a business trip or holiday, even if it is within the prefecture, they will come back with some kind of souvenir for the people who were left behind in the office to apologize for going away and having fun without them. These often take the form of the specialty products (mainly food based) of the region that the person visited. Normally the only difference between one box of cookies from one town to the next is the "special" flavor. For example, most souvenirs from the Mito region would be "plum" flavor or "nattō" flavor. . . .
While this is ok for your office, if you want to break out of the mold of identical boxes of cookies and cakes, how about some of the specialty crafts of the area? Ibaraki has a wide range of artistic items that are representative of Japanese culture.
Below is an explanatory list of the typical specialty craft products for each region of Ibaraki where you may be living or visiting. It may also be useful for deciding what souvenirs to send back to people in your home countries.
Northern Ibaraki
Hitachi-naka City
張り子の達磨・虎・兎
(Hariko no Daruma / Tora / Usagi)
Paper Mache Daruma / Tigers / Rabbits
Htachi-naka / Ōarai
万祝・大漁旗
(Maiwai / Tairyō Bata)
Celebratory Fishing Kimonos and Flags
Hitach-Ōta City
光圀卿のおもかげ
(Mitsukuni Kyō no Omokage)
Cast metal face mask of Kyō Mitsukuni (Mito Kōmon)
Hitachi-Ōta City
雪村うちわ
(Sesson Uchiwa)
Snow Village 4-cornered Fan
Hitachi-Ōta City
美術組ひも
(Bijutsu Kumi Himo)
Artistic Rope for Kimino
Hitachi-Ōta City
かな料紙
(Kana Ryōshi)
Kana Stationary Paper
Hitachi-Ōmiya City
西ノ内和紙
(Nishi no Uchi Washi)
Nishi no Uchi Japanese Handmade Paper
Daigo Town
国寿石大子硯
(Kokjuseki Daigo Zuri)
Kokuju Stone Daigo Ink Stone
Hitachi City
ひたち竹人形
(Hitachi Take Ningyō)
Hitachi Bamboo Dolls
Hitachi City
ひたち欅細工
(Hitachi Keyaki Zaiku)
Hitachi
Kita-Ibaraki City
手描き鯉のぼり
(Tegaki Koi Nobori)
Hand Painted Carp Streamers
Western Ibaraki
Yūki / Chikusei / Shimotsua / Hachiyo Cities
本場結城紬
(Honba Yūki Tsumugi)
Yūki Pongee Fabrics
Yūki / Chikusei / Jōsō / Tsukuba Mirai
結城地方の桐下駄
(Yūki Chihō no Kiri Geta)
Yūki Region Paulownia wood Geta
Yūki
結城桐箪笥
(Yūki Kiri Tansu)
Yūki Paulownia Wood Drawers
Yūki
結城まゆ工芸
(Yūki Mayu Kōgei)
Yūki Felt Art
Jōsō / Shimotsuma
いしげ結城紬
(Ishige Yūki Tsumugi)
Ishige Yūki Pongee Fabrics
Jōsō
浮世絵手摺木版画
(Ukiyoe Tesuri Moku Hanga)
Wood block printing
Jōsō
きぬの染
(Kinu no some)
Printed silk
Sakuragawa
真壁石燈籠
(Makabe Ishi Doro)
Makabe Stone Lanterns
Sakuragawa
べっ甲細工
(Pekkoi Zaiku)
Sakuragawa
梵鐘
(Bonshō)
Temple Bells
Sakai / Yachio
ゆうちく袖垣
(Yuuchiku Degaki)
Bamboo art
Shimotsuma
茨城籐工芸
(Ibaraki Tō kogei)
Ibaraki Wicker art
Koga
総和竹絵画
(Sowa take kaiga)
Sowa Bamboo Art
Southern Ibaraki
Ishioka
竹矢
(Takeya)
Bamboo Arrows
Ishioka
線香
(Senkō)
Incense
Ishioka
石岡府中杉細工
(Ishioka fuchū sugi zaiku)
Ishioka Cypress Water wheel art
Ishioka
常陸獅子
(Hitachi Jishi)
Hitachi Lions
Tsukuba
つくばね焼
(Tsukubane Yaki)
Tsukbane Ceramics
Tsukuba
大穂のほうき
(Ōha no houki)
Ōha Brooms
Tsukuba
とよさとの桶・樽
(Toyosato no oke / taru)
Toyosato Pails and Barrels
Ryūgasaki
カガミクリスタル
(Kakami kurisutaru)
Kagami Crystal
Ushiku
淡水真珠
(Tansui Shinju)
Freshwater Pearls
Central Ibaraki
Kasama
笠間焼
(Kasama yaki)
Kasama Ceramics
Ibaraki-Machi
水戸彫
(Mito bori)
Mito Wood carving
Shirosato
粟野春慶塗
(Awano shunkei nuri)
Awano Lacquer Ware
Shirosato
桂の雛人形
(Katsura no Hina Ningyō)
Katsura Girl's Festival Dolls
Hitachi-Ōta
米粒人形
(Kome tsubu ningyō)
Rice grain dolls
Mito
水戸押絵
(Mito Oshie)
Mito Oshie
Mito
武道具
(Budōgu)
Martial Arts wear and equipment
Mito
農人形
(No ningyo)
Agriculture dolls
Mito
涸沼竿
(Hinuma Sao)
Hinuma Fishing Rods
Mito
水戸やなかの桶
(Mito yanaka no Oke)
Mito Yanaka Pails
South Eastern Ibaraki
Itako
あやめ笠
(Ayame gasa)
Ayame Bamboo hats
Namegata
繁昌笠
(Hanjō gasa)
Hanjō Bamboo hats
