Market Overview

The domestic gift market is estimated at 11,188 billion yen for 2024 (up 2.7% year-on-year) and is projected to reach 11,565 billion yen in 2025 (a 3.4% year-on-year increase).
In this context, gifts are defined as any item or experience offered to delight a recipient in recognition of a special occasion or gesture—ranging from celebrations and expressions of appreciation to seasonal greetings and apologies. 
Over the last few years, the market has seen significant diversification across gift items, gifting occasions, retail channels, and the types of givers (including individuals, enterprises, and local governments). While the shift in social norms during the pandemic challenged the traditional formal gift market, it also led to a resurgence in gifting as a vital tool for personal connection. This ongoing trend toward celebrating close relationships is further driving the overall value of the gift market.

Noteworthy Topics

E-Gift (Gift Without Address) for Personal Gifting

The market size of e-gift (aka “Social Gift” in Japan; “Gifts Without Address” in the US) reached 505 billion yen for 2024 (up 20.2% year-on-year) and is projected to attain 645 billion yen in 2025 (up 27.7% year-on-year).
In recent years, online gift retailers have increasingly focused on e-gifts. These services allow users to send a gift via email or social media without needing the recipient's physical home address. While e-gifting was initially used primarily by enterprises for promotional purposes, it has since evolved.
There is now a "virtuous cycle" in effect: once individuals experience the convenience of receiving an e-gift, they recognize its benefits and are more likely to become gift-givers themselves. As e-gifts gain traction in the corporate gifting (B2B) market, their use in personal gifting (C2C) has also become more prominent. Today, e-gifts have become indispensable—not only for affordable "casual" gifts but also for luxury items for major occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, and Mother’s Day.

Future Outlook

The domestic gift market size is projected to grow to 11,775 billion yen in 2026, up 1.8% year-on-year based on the price amount. Although growth rates vary across different gift categories and occasions, the overall gift market remains robust. In 2023, the market size surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with further expansion recorded in 2024. This upward trend is expected to continue throughout 2025. Given that gifting serves as an essential communication tool in Japanese society, the market’s growth trajectory remains exceptionally stable over the medium to long term.

Research Outline