Have you heard of the Japanese custom of giving temiyage? Temiyage are gifts to be given to people you are about to meet. They are chosen with the recipient in mind, and aim to convey a feeling of hospitality from the giver. Right at this very moment, there is someone somewhere in Japan choosing temiyage while envisioning the receiver's joy. In the same vein, “temiyage” is a website featuring specialties chosen with the greatest of care.

Hospitality can never be overdone.
It’s a small consideration for those most important to us.
One Japanese custom representing such thoughtfulness is a gift known as temiyage.
Temiyage is a gift to bring something pleasant to the people we meet.
We believe careful thought determines the right gift to make someone happy.
Appearance, design, taste, texture, and especially Japanese authenticity are all deeply considered.
Exceptional Japanese gourmet foods have been chosen and presented as a meaningful temiyage.
Revel each bite, one after another, and relish the comfort of hospitality.
Enjoy Japanese food selected by the connoisseurs of fine dishes and beverages.
Savour the generous gift of exquisite Japanese gourmet.
（From the temiyage website）

Launched in February 2018, Temiyage is a website where you can purchase gourmet-approved Japanese specialties with peace of mind. All of the products on the site were tried and tested by epicures, and selected with the same care that you take when selecting gifts for your nearest and dearest. With a gift chosen from Temiyage, even those not too familiar with Japanese food will surely appreciate a moving experience with authentic Japanese cuisine.

The site features a wide range of products including Japanese confectionery, seafood dishes, seasonings, and premium snacks. Each product is accompanied by beautiful, mouth-watering photos and detailed descriptions that stimulate the imagination for an exciting shopping experience.

Buying items is simple and easy, too! (And product descriptions are offered in multiple languages!)

Shopping on a foreign website can be daunting because of the language barrier. However, Temiyage supports not only English, but Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese for safe and easy shopping.

So what will you choose among the myriad of products featured on the site? At Temiyage, items are not only categorized by genre such as “Japanese confectionery” or “Tea.” Rather, you can also look for products from several angles. You can search by places you've visited (or yearn to visit!), or choose after thoroughly learning about a product's story. Experience the joy of shopping to the fullest with a variety of ways to shop offered by Temiyage.

Choose by “story” – Use comments written by food connoisseurs and the story behind the product as a guide

There are many stories behind the most authentic of specialties, from the history of stores that have been passed down from generation to generation, to the thoughts and feelings of the artisans and producers. Stories of how the product came into being, to the hardships that the producers have encountered, and to what they paid particular attention to. Choosing a gift after learning about what went into it is also an enlightened way of shopping.

The food connoisseurs who write about these stories are all discerning gourmets such as personal assistants well-versed in the art of choosing gifts for hospitality, and bloggers who continue to spread the word about food. Using their knowledge in choosing your gift is part of the fun.

Now we'd like to introduce the stories behind some of the featured products available for purchase at Temiyage, along with comments written by food connoisseurs.

“Akasaka Toda” is a Japanese restaurant located in Akasaka, Tokyo. It's also popular among foreign guests for its interiors and service brimming with Japan's distinctive hospitality. Fastidious about high-quality ingredients, “Okuyame Gift” is the restaurant owner's choice. Produced by a tea shop in the famous green tea region of Okuyame, Fukuoka, this gift set consists of dashi, the soup stock which is the foundation of Japanese cooking; and yokan, the sweet bean paste jelly that has long been used as an accompaniment to green tea.

The “dashi pack” included in the gift set contains the highest-quality gyokuro green tea from Okuyame. It can be drunk on its own as a soup, or easily added to a variety of dishes in your cooking. Meanwhile, green tea and roasted green tea has been kneaded into the yokan, resulting in a rich, tea scent. Slice it thinly to savor this aroma. Enjoy the tastes and flavors of a tea shop that has captivated the hearts of food professionals.

This is a fantastic gift especially when presented to guests during a dinner party at the restaurant. As everyone loves both delicious dashi (soup stock) and Tea Yokoan, I think it is always well received when providing it for guests.(Secretary in the Financial Services Industry for over 17 years)
(From the temiyage website)

The line never ends at “Shinseido,” a long-established rice cracker shop patronized by those in the know. Their flagship product is “Edo Miyage,” a line of rice crackers beloved as the best gifts from Edo (Tokyo). These Edo-style snacks are laboriously and carefully made, and can only be bought in Tokyo.

“Edo Miyage” rice crackers are made of high-quality red shrimp and “Shimehari Mochigome,” a very rare, glutinous rice. They are made in the same way that they have been made for the past 100 years, only using the best ingredients of the time to uphold the products' delicious legacy. Crispy and light, you can have as much as you want of these airy rice crackers.

You can purchase this product only in Tokyo so it is nice as a gift. One of the typical traditional snacks produced by the shop with long history. I’m sure many will feel nostalgic. I would like to send it to some special people. (Manufacturer PA, 20 years)
(From the temiyage website)

The tea shop “Hosuien” was established in 1887. Kentaro, Hosuien's second-generation head, devoted his whole life to tea. He threw himself into tea-making, from joining a tea farm uninvited, to creating the best soil conditions for tea fields. He pursued the best in ingredients and production methods, resulting in “Sencha Meijin Kentaro,” the ultimate green tea. In 1971, it was presented to Emperor Showa during his visit to Ise Shrine, and since then, Hosuien has been accredited as the shrine's tea purveyor.

A lot of time and effort goes into making this delicious tea. Tea leaves from plants grown using organic fertilizers, and using only first flush tea leaves distinguishes this tea from the rest. After much research, Hosuien invented the “Ultra Deep Steaming Method,” wherein the ensuing tea will be delicious regardless of the quality and temperature of the water used, resulting in a definitive tea that can be made with ease. Savor the deliciousness and experience the joys of Japanese tea even in your home country.

It is absolutely a top class product. You can drink it with hot water and with cold water, either way is delicious, and this just adds to how interesting this tea is. I was really surprised that the tea was so delicious in cold water. (Trading Company - Secretary - 3 years, 5 months)
（From the temiyage website）

Temiyage – a website devoted to choice specialties selected by food connoisseurs with discerning eyes. Just as temiyage gifts are carefully chosen, your purchases will be carefully delivered to your doorstop. Take pleasure in Japan's specialties - and consider giving a gift of Japan's finest products to your loved ones.