It is now August and many people are going back to the countryside here and there. One of the problems when returning home is what to bring as a souvenir. I hope that my relatives in the countryside will understand by now that the silent pressure of wondering what I will bring from Tokyo is a sobering burden.

In anticipation of the season of homecoming, " Let's Enjoy Tokyo, " a Tokyo outing information website, conducted a survey on the awareness of souvenirs in Tokyo. Oh, this may be helpful.

The survey asked residents of Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba, "If you were to buy a souvenir when you go back home or visit relatives in the countryside, which one would you choose? The results are shown in the table below.


Long-established stores are strong, are they?

One out of three men buy " Tokyo Banana," which is ranked No. 1 by men. It is also ranked No. 2 among women, and its popularity may be due in part to the fact that the word "Tokyo" is written on the package and in the product name, making it easy to tell that it is a Tokyo souvenir.

Nenrin-ke's baumkuchen," ranked No. 1 by women and No. 2 by men, seems to be an emerging force that has emerged over the past few years, and is particularly popular among women who are sensitive to trends in sweets. By age group, it was No. 1 among women in their 20s, 30s, and 50s.


Two types of baumkuchen are its signature products

Toraya's Yokan, ranked 2nd by men and 4th by women, was the most popular Japanese confectionery, as it seems to be a classic product of a long-established confectionery.

Noteworthy was " Gatofesta Harada's Rusk," which ranked 3rd for women and 7th for men. The main store is located in Gunma Prefecture, and its products are sold mainly in department stores in Gunma Prefecture.


When asked about their budget, 47.7% said 1,001-2,000 yen, 33.6% said 2,001-3,000 yen, and 14.6% said 1,000 yen or less.

When asked, "If you had to buy a souvenir for a friend from out of town, which one would you choose? The top five choices for women were " Pierre Hermé Paris macaroons" and "Tokyo Rusk sugar rusks," which were not ranked among the top five souvenirs for Tokyo gifts for parents and relatives.


Girls are creatures with a weakness for Pierre Hermé.

Men switched rankings, but there was no difference in products. Women seem to use slightly different products for souvenirs for their parents/relatives and for friends, but men may not care as much as women do. This is what we call the dividing line.

The following is a sample of the "What kind of Tokyo souvenirs would you like to receive? The results were as follows.


Ha, it's a hard sell...

The most desired element of a Tokyo souvenir for those living in the provinces was "something that can only be bought in Tokyo," which came in at an overwhelming 60%.

The second- and third-ranked items were "confectionery from a popular Tokyo pastry chef" and "something I've never tasted before," suggesting that people want souvenirs unique to Tokyo, where the latest gourmet foods are available. It seems that Tokyo souvenirs are desired by people in Tokyo. The second- and third-ranked items are quite difficult to find....

Incidentally, when asked in a free response format, "Please indicate your favorite Tokyo souvenir that you have ever received," 88 of the 291 respondents answered "Tokyo Banana.


Is it true that bananas are strong? Banana is delicious, isn't it? Living in Tokyo, I don't often have a chance to eat Tokyo souvenirs, but I might buy some for myself with the excuse of research.