In Taiwan, tea and teaware are familiar gifts, given at life's milestones and as seasonal greetings. Japan, too, has ochugen, a summer greeting gift, and oseibo and onenga, customs of expressing a year's thanks and wishes for the new year through a gift.
In this article, we look at when people in Taiwan give tea and what Japan's oseibo and onenga mean, and then share the thinking behind our CHA-EN gift box.
When do people in Taiwan give tea and teaware?
In Taiwan, tea is still part of everyday life, from the first cup in the morning to time with family and breaks at work. Because it is so close to daily life, it is also a natural choice as a gift for celebrations and greetings.
- A friend's wedding: A teapot and cups are given as a set, so that the couple can sit across from each other and brew tea together in their new home. The gift also carries a wish for a calm and peaceful life ahead.
- A colleague's or manager's promotion: Tea is given to someone taking on a new role, with congratulations and appreciation for their hard work. It is also a quiet way of saying, "Please make time to pause, even when things get busy."
- A housewarming: Teaware is given so it can be used when relaxing with family or welcoming guests in the new home. It becomes the household's "tools of hospitality" and is used for many years.
- Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival greetings: These are important occasions when family and relatives gather. Fine tea is given to relatives and parents as a seasonal greeting.
- Visiting a senior or a business partner: Bringing something a little different from the usual gift, such as tea, makes the other person curious: "What is this? What kind of tea is it?" That curiosity can start a conversation and make a pleasant icebreaker before a meeting.
In every case, tea is chosen as a gift that quietly says, "Wishing you many good moments ahead."
Japan also has many gift-giving customs
Japan has many gift-giving customs tied to the seasons and to life's milestones: gifts for weddings, births and starting school, ochugen in summer, and small gifts brought when visiting someone. People have long entrusted to a gift the feelings that words alone cannot fully express.
The classic gifts are perhaps Japanese sweets, Western sweets and Japanese green tea, all firmly rooted in Japan's gift-giving culture. At the same time, we feel that black tea and oolong tea are gradually being given more often.
We believe tea has several qualities that make it a good gift:
- It keeps well: Tea leaves can be stored for a relatively long time, so the recipient can enjoy them slowly, at their own pace.
- It can be used to welcome guests: Fine tea can be served to the recipient's own guests. The feeling behind the gift carries on into time spent with someone else.
- It can be shared with the family: People of all ages and tastes can enjoy it together.
Taiwanese tea has one more quality that suits a gift. Even from the same region and the same cultivar, its aroma and taste change with each year's weather. For almost all of our teas, we visit the makers and confirm how that year's tea has turned out before choosing it. We make no adjustments to keep the flavor and aroma consistent. Spring tea and winter tea never taste the same, and we deliver each season's tea just as it turned out. We would be delighted if it sparks a small conversation with the recipient: "This year's tea had this kind of aroma."
Oseibo and onenga: Japanese customs of giving thanks
Among Japan's many gift-giving customs, oseibo and onenga, given at the end and the beginning of the year, place particular weight on expressing gratitude.
Oseibo is a gift given at the end of the year with thanks for the past year: "Thank you for everything this year." It is generally given from early December to around the 20th.
Onenga is a gift given at the start of the new year together with the greeting, "I look forward to your continued kindness this year." It is generally handed over when visiting someone during matsu-no-uchi, the New Year period up to around January 7.
Family, relatives, former teachers, business partners. Looking back on the year, the faces of those who supported us come to mind. Year-end dinners and New Year visits to companies are also good opportunities to put thanks into form. A gift quietly conveys gratitude that can be hard to put into words. We feel that oseibo and onenga are a warm culture unique to Japan. We would be happy if you would consider Taiwanese tea as one option for your oseibo or onenga this year.
About the CHA-EN gift box
This year, we renewed our original gift box. As before, it is based on black, and we added a design with an Eastern feel on the cover and on the inside of the lid, which appears when the box is opened. The cover shows the faint outline of mountains, with the CHA-EN logo in gold foil.
We wanted the recipient to feel, "I'm happy to receive not just the tea, but the box as well." With that in mind, we spent about six months developing it. The dedicated gift paper bag is also designed to sit together with the box as one.
Inside are three of CHA-EN's most popular teas.
- Can & Box Set (US$39): Jin Xuan Oolong (50 g), with an aroma reminiscent of milk, and Mi Xiang Black Tea (40 g), with a sweet, honey-like aroma
- Can Set (US$42): Lishan High Mountain Oolong (50 g), with an aroma reminiscent of pear and peach, and Jin Xuan Oolong (50 g)
*The box in the photo contains Ruby Black Tea. The actual set contains Mi Xiang Black Tea.
We want more people in Japan to enjoy Taiwanese tea, and we wanted to create a gift that makes both the giver and the recipient feel good. That is why we renewed it, and we hope you will consider it.
For delivery within Japan in 2026, please order by December 15.
Until the end of January 2027, gift boxes ship free (except deliveries to Hokkaido, Japan). If you order other items together with a gift box, shipping for those items is charged separately. You can see our gift items here.
Prices are shown in US dollars as of November 2026 and may change with exchange rates.
Summary
In Taiwan, tea and teaware have long been given for weddings, promotions, new homes and seasonal greetings. Japan's oseibo and onenga are also an important culture of conveying a year's thanks and wishes for the new year. As you think of those who helped you this year, why not add Taiwanese tea, carrying that year's aroma, to your list of gift ideas?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When do people in Taiwan give tea?
A. Teaware sets are given for a friend's wedding, and tea is given for a colleague's or manager's promotion, a housewarming, Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival greetings, and when visiting a senior or a business partner.
Q. What is the difference between oseibo and onenga?
A. Oseibo is given at the end of the year with thanks for the past year. Onenga is given at the start of the new year together with the greeting, "I look forward to your continued kindness this year."
Q. When should oseibo be given?
A. Generally from early December to around the 20th. If it cannot arrive within the year, it can be given as onenga after the new year begins.
Q. Why does tea make a good gift?
A. Tea leaves keep relatively well, so the recipient can enjoy them at their own pace or serve them to guests. Taiwanese tea's aroma changes with each year's weather, so it can also start a conversation.
Q. By when should I order a CHA-EN gift for delivery within the year?
A. For delivery within Japan, orders placed by December 15 will arrive within the year. Gift boxes ship free until the end of January 2027 (excluding Hokkaido, Japan; shipping for other items ordered together is charged separately).