Japanese Culture?

Ok, so I made this:



It reads "welcome" in Japanese Kanji and is meant to hang on the wall. I would like to present it as a gift to the Japanese couple who own a local sushi restaurant. Hubby and I have eaten there about 3x a month for several years now and are known regulars.

I don't want this to be an awkward thing where they feel like we expect anything in return (like we are giving it to get free sushi or something weird like that). I have entertained the notion of giving it anonymously, but I have a feeling that they would know that it was from us and possibly be offended that we tried to be anonymous.

Is there any advice on how I should best go about this?

Should I just forget about giving this to them? Is it lame?

What if they hate it?

How does the Japanese culture regard gift giving?

That is beautiful!!!

By all means, give it to them! I would go in on a day where I wasn't going to have dinner, and present it to them along with a card letting them know how appreciative you are of them and how much you have enjoyed your dining experiences there over the last several years.

I'm sure they would be thrilled to receive such a thoughtful and beautiful gift!

Wow, that's really gorgeous, anybody would love that as a gift! Items that are handcrafted so beautifully are 100xs better than something manufactured - this is a treasure. Amazing job!

p.s. Just show it to them and after they say how they like it you can say that you made it for them. You don't have to present it according to Japanese culture since all of you are in America.

it's beautiful! I'd love to have something like that on MY wall!

not to sound doubtful, but you are sure that's what it says, right? lol. I've seen people get tattoos when they think it means one thing, but it really means something else entirely!

Just as when you visit overseas, you do your best to acclimate to the local culture and not impress your own... "when in Rome". So don't worry about trying to act according to Japanese cultural norms, its not expected. If you're in Japan for example, nod/bow properly, but I always find it silly for a Westerner in their own country not to just shake hands or kiss on the cheek as is the cultural norm where they live.

The only weird thing older Japanese people do that I've noticed is refuse to open presents in front of you. The kids are all blasted by American culture non-stop (and its considered more 'hip' anyway), so no worries there if they are younger even if they're fresh off the boat.

Looks great btw, and I don't see how anyone wouldn't love that gift.

It is exquisite!!! No one would not like a gift like that. I would absolutely give them that gift. I bet they will surely appreciate it and hang it on the wall, maybe even near your regular table !!! Very beautiful piece of art.

Wow!

I don't know about Japanese culture but that is beautiful.

It is gorgeous

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

That is beautiful!!!

By all means, give it to them! I would go in on a day where I wasn't going to have dinner, and present it to them along with a card letting them know how appreciative you are of them and how much you have enjoyed your dining experiences there over the last several years.

I'm sure they would be thrilled to receive such a thoughtful and beautiful gift!

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It is very pretty! Great job. I bet they will love it

It's exquisite! What an artist you've become! I understand your concern about making them feel obligated in some way, but don't let that stop you -- they'll be so delighted!

That is beautiful, give it to them I'm sure they'll appreciate it. Depends how much with the culture they are. In Japan they would give you something back (a thank you for the gift gift lol).

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

That is beautiful, give it to them I'm sure they'll appreciate it. Depends how much with the culture they are. In Japan they would give you something back (a thank you for the gift gift lol).

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in Japan, the gift giving can get a bit carried away, lol.

But they may not be fully culturally Japanese. The guy who runs the sushi restaurant here grew up in California (although he did study with the best sushi chefs in Japan). He's totally American (probably more than I am).

It's really beautiful. I wish I could make stuff like that. I'm sure they'll love it.

I can just echo everyone else - that is a beautiful piece of art!! You should open an Etsy shop, I think you could count several among us as customers!

Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

Is there any advice on how I should best go about this?

Should I just forget about giving this to them? Is it lame?

What if they hate it?

How does the Japanese culture regard gift giving?

Click to expand...

What a beautiful decoration!
As an Asian, your gift will be appreciated and they might be surprised by your kindness. Japanese love receiving gifts and giving them as well. They are also too polite to refuse it, if they happen to dislike it (but I doubt it).
Best time to give it? When the restaurant is not crowded and the owners have time to greet and talk to you.
Ducman69 is correct about opening the gift infront of you (so do most Asians). But it is all right to tell them to do so if you wish.

Just curious...does anyone else here read Japanese kanji so they can confirm that it says what it's supposed to? I've heard stories about one little line out of place, making it something else!

I've seen this in French. Our neighborhood is called High Pointe, with the acute accent on the last e. Totally wrong. And I once saw a tour bus conversion that said, "A grand fraise" on the the front. They meant, "A grand frais," which would have been, "At great expense," or "Very expensive." What they put up meant, "To a big stawberry."

That is a gorgeous piece!

I would just give the gift and don't worry about it. It's a nice thing to do, no one can be offended by that gesture.

Thanks everyone for your kind remarks! I just didn't want to offend them or make them feel obligated in any way....

Originally Posted by parsleysage

I can just echo everyone else - that is a beautiful piece of art!! You should open an Etsy shop, I think you could count several among us as customers!

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I actually do have an etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/weldrwomn?ref=si_shop

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Just curious...does anyone else here read Japanese kanji so they can confirm that it says what it's supposed to? I've heard stories about one little line out of place, making it something else!

I've seen this in French. Our neighborhood is called High Pointe, with the acute accent on the last e. Totally wrong. And I once saw a tour bus conversion that said, "A grand fraise" on the the front. They meant, "A grand frais," which would have been, "At great expense," or "Very expensive." What they put up meant, "To a big stawberry."

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I had a friend of mine originally write the kanji for me, but I double-checked it on a handful of different websites by googling japanese kanji "welcome"

Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

I actually do have an etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/weldrwomn?ref=si_shop

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oh wow, beautiful stuff! Do you do requests? I LOVE the welded spoon butterfly, but I'd love to see it in the dragonfly! I know you have one on the catail, but I'd have no place to stick it!

Originally Posted by Draco

oh wow, beautiful stuff! Do you do requests? I LOVE the welded spoon butterfly, but I'd love to see it in the dragonfly! I know you have one on the catail, but I'd have no place to stick it!

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I have this set: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_500wt_1363

Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

I actually do have an etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/weldrwomn?ref=si_shop

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Oh my... I just got weak in the knees at the sight of your knife, spoon, and fork windchime! I LOVE windchimes. Obsessed with them in fact. Awesome, awesome work. Thank you for sharing your shop!