“I brought you a gift." In his hand is a small, yellow box of Tokyo Bananas. The cream-filled cakes are all over the airport. He offers them to me with both hands. Bringing an omiyage is tradition. I can't refuse. I accept the box with both hands and say, "Thank you.” GiftTraditionalJapanese Book:Tokyo Ever After Source: Tokyo Ever After
“I gaze at the orchid sitting on his windowsill. It's wrapped in bamboo and tied with a purple tassel. Its yellow and green leaves are long and narrow, striped like a tiger's tail. The blooms are tiny, white, and fragrant. "Fūkiran," my father says. "Grown since the Edo Period and collected by feudal lords as gifts to the shogun or emperor." He slides the office doors closed. "I know." I smile because it's familiar. My mother has a woodblock of it above her nightstand. Neofinetia falcata.” GiftFather And DaughterOrchid Book:Tokyo Ever After Source: Tokyo Ever After