Omiyage (O-me-yah-gay) is a souvenir and essential expression of Japanese etiquette. When a Japanese person returns from a trip, he or she is expected to bring home omiyage to friends and relatives. Similarly, in order to thank somebody, one often presents a temiyage gift such as a cake, Japanese sweets or sake.

If you intend on visiting Japan, you can arrive all the wiser if you plan ahead and pack several items from your home town. Whether you know someone in Japan or not, having a few omiyage in your bags will ensure a warm and respectful reception as a foreign guest. If you are going to Japan on business, be sure to bring omiyage for your business associates.

The giving of omiyage begins with an attractive presentation and honours the recipient. Omiyage gifts are traditionally wrapped in beautiful printed squares of fabric called furoshiki. Furoshiki can double nicely as a scarf, making two gifts in one. Quality and attention to detail are important aspects to look for when choosing omiyage. Look for features that emphasise creative skill, such as fine lines on a painted face, or detailed hands and feet in a ceramic sculpture.

If you want to bring omiyage from home to Japan, think of what product or landmark is representative of the area in which you live. For example, considering the popularity of baseball in Japan, a New York Yankees hat or San Francisco Giants t-shirt would definitely go over well. A miniature model of the Golden Gate Bridge, some Amish apple butter from Pennsylvania or a colourful Aloha shirt from Hawaii would also be well-received.

If you've arrived in Japan with no omiyage from home, not to worry, Tokyo is one of the world's greatest cities for shopping. Unlike New York or London, where much is centralized in a specific downtown, Tokyo includes various downtowns, like Ginza, Harajuku and Akihabara, each a smorgasbord of shopping.

In Tokyo's stylish Harajuku district, where you can find everything from Gucci to Levis, you'll also find shops with lacquer-ware and colorful wood block prints, both modern and antique. Silk kimonos are of course an expensive favourite omiyage. However, the less expensive and more practical cotton yukata robe always makes for a useful gift.

Most people think of Japan as a very expensive country. True, and if money is no object, you'll be spoilt for choice. Yet plenty of good quality, affordable omiyage can be found as well. Beautifully embroidered purses can be purchased at US$5-$10, delicately painted teacups make a delightful gift for only US$15, attractive hand-painted sake sets go for under US$30.

Some of the best buys are hand-crafted pieces or printed works of art. Printed art, both contemporary and traditional in style, dress up any wall for under US$10. Fine art prints are also available at remarkably affordable prices. Exquisite, registered works of art by renowned masters, dating back to the early 1800s, start at US$70, with many choices under US$125.

Hand-carved netsuke, miniature sculptures of carved ivory used to secure the sash that is part of traditional men's attire, offer another affordable traditional art form, with prices that start under US$100, although the best collectibles go for many times that. In the detailed, miniature world of the netsuke, the Japanese have again achieved creative distinction.

Textiles are also great buys. Lightweight and easy to pack, textiles come in the forms of handbags, scarves, yukata robes, and contemporary clothing crafted of richly embroidered fabric from an old kimono. Antique kimono make for a stunning decorative centerpiece, and are another fabulous bargain at under US$100 for a kimono that originally sold for ten times that when it was new. Yukata and hapi robes come in a wide variety of colours and prints, with hapi coats starting under US$50 and yukata at US$60-$125.

Lacquer-ware offers another distinctive range of well-priced omiyage. Good quality, older pieces which use a wood based frame can be found for US$60-$100. The contemporary alternatives use a plastic based frame, yet the use of real gold leaf provides a rich, deep finish that gives it the look of a piece several times the US$15-$50 you'll spend.

Surprisingly, in such a high-tech world as Japan, it is the traditional arts, often handmade, that offer the best bargains. While you may find the latest model digital camera in Akihabara, Tokyo's electronic district, prices run high. Cutting edge technology, even on Japanese-made goods, costs less in the United States.

The Japanese maintain an affinity for their traditional handmade papers. In Tokyo and other cities, paper goods specialty shops cater to a mix of Japanese and foreign clientele with everything from note cards to stationary bought by the page, or bound into diaries or used in a vast variety of fans and umbrellas. Elegant and useful, fans go for US$6-$25, depending on variables like size, intricacy, quality of the paper, and whether it was hand-painted or printed by machine.

Food represents another whole category of omiyage possibilities. Anywhere you go in Japan, gift shops feature a wide selection of foods packaged for travellers, including specialties of the region. There are a wide variety of crackers, candies, and confections, all beautifully packaged in the tradition of omiyage.

On last bit of omiyage advice: Remember to keep your receipts. If a value-added tax (VAT) credit applies they will be necessary in collecting your VAT rebate at the airport upon departure. Japan offers a treasure trove of omiyage, whether you visit second-hand shops or Ginza's glitzy department stores. So, pack that extra bag and get ready to celebrate your fabulous time in Japan with omiyage for those at home.