Japanese-English Photo Glossary Index

o-miyage Listen to the term in Japanese!

The Year of the Monkey:  1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
O-miyage monkey charms
Photo by Linda Freeman, July 2002

gift or souvenir

O-miyage are small gifts bought to give to family, friends, and colleagues. They are also used as souvenirs by travelers. Zodiac symbols make good gifts because they represent the year of one's birth. O-mamori make good miyage because they provide various types of protection for the recipient. Mingei (folk art), dolls, fans, and paper lanterns are common forms of miyage.

Everyday Japanese
Schwartz and Ezawa

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