Tvarumas Japonijos dovanų kultūroje /

This bachelor thesis focuses on the culture of gift-giving and sustainable gift consumption in Japan. The aim of the thesis is to find out whether ideas of sustainability are implemented in the Japanese gift culture. The objectives of the thesis are: 1) to present the origins of gift culture, its main features and types of gifts in Japan, 2) to provide a general definition of sustainability and an overview of recent trends in sustainable behavior in Japan, 3) to use a semi-structured interview method to reveal the sustainability strategies used by young Japanese people in gift exchange as well as the barriers to sustainability that they face. The paper draws on data collected through secondary sources and primary qualitative interviews. The results show that the application of sustainability ideas in gift culture in Japan is difficult to achieve. Although people are aware of environmental values and make sustainable choices in their daily lives, they are rarely interested in sustainable gifting solutions. Incorporating environmental awareness into a gift-giving process that is influenced by social norms causes inconvenience. Moreover, a sustainable gift often is not capable of reflecting the social relationships that are established. In the case of Japan, the juxtaposition of practicality and sustainability can serve to promote sustainable gift consumption. This bachelor thesis may be useful for exploring the relationship between sustainability and cultural practices. It might also be helpful for those interested in Japan’s gift-giving culture, in the practice of sustainable gifting, and for exploring the possibilities of sustainable gifting in other cultures.

Grantor dc:publisher

Institutional Repository of Vilnius University

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Vaicekauskaitė, Rūta,

Statement dc:rights

• info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Language dc:language

lit

Repository record dc:identifier

https://repository.vu.lt/VU:ELABAETD210640848&prefLang=en_US

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vu.lt:elaba:210640848