They say it’s better to give than to receive and while we would agree with that sentiment, we feel it overlooks the doubt and worry associated with choosing the right present in the first place. Will they love it? Have they already got one? Does it look nice enough? Is it their colour? All that pre-gifting anxiety can really take the shine off the whole process.

In our opinion, the best presents are the sort that remain useful and are treasured year after year, with the recipient reminded of the gift-giver each time they use them. With this in mind, we have assembled a collection of useful, durable and, in most cases, stylish gift ideas that are certain to be well-received. Not only that, but being Japanese in origin, it’s much less likely that they will already own it (unless they happen to live in Japan…). Check it out: