The importance of "Kashiori." - How to quit a company in Japan

I decided to quit the company I've been working for almost 8 years at the end of this year. In this very simple matter; just quitting the company, you can have a fleeting glance of Japanese culture. So today's topic is the important thing to do when you quit the company in Japan. 

On the last day of your work, you should prepare "kashiori." "Kashi" means sweets in Japanese. If you quit the Japanese company, I suggest that you buy some sweets and give them to the members of the company, saying thank you and good bye. You might think the word "kashiori" seems to be very Japanese style sweets. But it doesn't necessarily mean Japanese sweets, all kinds of sweets are fine.

But usually, people prefer the sweets which can last for a while like baked goods. You should refrain from cakes with whipped cream. Because someone might be going on a business trip or taking days off; these sweets need to be given out to everyone.

The good examples of "kashioris."

Then where do we buy the sweets ? The most appropriate place to buy is the basement of department stores, we call it "depachika" in Japanese. Don't buy them at the supermarket; these sweets should be nice and fabulous.

The department store in Tokyo.

 FYI, "depachika" is abbreviation for "department store" and "chika - basement" in Japanese; usually the floor which deals with foods and sweets is the basement.

                              The image of "depachika."

The average price of these sweets are from 3,000 yen to 5,000 yen from each box which is packed with 30 - 50 items. 

This behavior, "to give some sweets to people," we call "kimochi." Basically, it means "only a little/few." Japanese people are so modest. Even though the sweets are so tantalizing, you should say "Honnno Kimochi desu." In this short phrase, it contains the meaning of "I don't know whether you like them or not, but they are just tokens of appreciation."

I wrote many things about "kashiori," but don't be serious. They are just sweets. " Just go to "depachika," then you can get some nice sweets. 


節目や、ご挨拶の時に欠かせないのが「菓子折り」です。買う時はどれくらい日持ちがするか、何人分必要なのか、いくら位のものを買うべきか 、など考えることが沢山あります。そして渡す時は、そのお菓子がとても美味しくて素晴らしいものだとしても、謙るのが日本人の心。日本人の「気持ち」という言葉一つにも奥深い意味があり、「菓子折り」とは日本人らしさが詰まった贈り物なのだと思います。