In Japan, how a gift is wrapped is considered as important as the gift itself. The wrapping expresses the care and thought you put into the choice, and for generations Japanese families have used different kinds of paper, cloth, and ribbon depending on the occasion, the season, and the person receiving.
At Manekineko Ai we offer two styles of Japanese gift wrapping, plus a free message service. All of them can be requested at checkout.
Free Japanese Gift Wrapping
Every order that requests gift wrapping is wrapped by our staff, at no additional cost. We choose the paper and the style based on the shape and size of your item, so that a tall vase, a flat tapestry, and a small tea cup each receive the wrapping that suits it best.
This service works for all kinds of occasions:
- Birthdays
- Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day
- Weddings, engagements, and anniversaries
- Housewarming and baby showers
- Longevity celebrations (Kanreki, Koki, and other traditional milestones)
- Everyday thoughtfulness — a small present sent to someone far away
If you have a specific request (a particular colour, a preference for plain paper, or a Japanese-style wrapping for a Japanese recipient), please tell us in the order comments. We will do our best to match what you have in mind.
How to request: at checkout, select the gift wrapping option and leave any details in the order comments.
Furoshiki Wrapping (+ $25)
Furoshiki (風呂敷) is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth. Rather than disposable paper, a furoshiki is a square of beautiful fabric that is folded and tied around the gift — and then keeps going. The recipient unties it, admires the pattern, and keeps it as a reusable wrapping, a bag, a scarf, or a small tapestry. In Japanese culture, giving someone a gift wrapped in furoshiki is a way of saying “the care I took matters as much as the thing itself.”
For an additional $25, we will wrap your gift in a handmade Japanese furoshiki cloth, knotted in the traditional style. The furoshiki becomes part of the gift — a second, lasting present alongside the first.
We select the furoshiki pattern based on the recipient and the occasion: subtle seasonal motifs for formal gifts, brighter patterns for children’s gifts, traditional indigo or sakura designs for weddings.
How to request: select gift wrapping at checkout, then note “Furoshiki wrapping” in the order comments. We will add the $25 charge to your order.
For more about furoshiki in general, see our selection of furoshiki cloths.
Free Gift Message
We can add a handwritten message card to your gift at no additional cost. Messages can be in English or Japanese.
- Where to write: when you reach the order comments field at checkout, simply type the message you would like us to add.
- Length: up to 15 characters on the small card. For a longer message, please mention this and we can include a separate note.
- Japanese messages: if you would like a message written in Japanese, our Kyoto team will handle the calligraphy. Please write the message in romaji or kana and let us know.
A Few Small Things Worth Knowing
- Receipts: we do not include the price or invoice inside any gift-wrapped package. The receipt is sent separately by email.
- Multiple items: if your order contains several items, please tell us in the comments whether you want them wrapped separately or together.
- Delivery timing: gift wrapping does not delay shipment — we wrap as part of our normal packing process.
- International shipping: all of our gift wrapping holds up well to long international shipping. For fragile items, the wrapping is placed inside an additional protective outer box.
Questions?
If you have a specific wrapping need that isn’t listed here — for example, a traditional noshi paper band, a seasonal theme, or a gift intended for a specific Japanese ceremony — please contact us before placing your order so we can confirm we can accommodate it.
We think of every gift that leaves our workshop as a small piece of Kyoto and Osaka traveling somewhere in the world. Whether it is wrapped in simple paper or in a silk furoshiki, it goes with our care.
— Team Manekineko Ai