Japanese Gifts for Men: Kyoto Gold-Leaf Tie Pins and Silk Pocket Squares

The easiest Japanese craft gift for a man is one he will wear on an ordinary workday: a tie pin or a pocket square. You do not need to know his size, and every time he puts it on he carries a piece of Kyoto handwork with him.

The pieces in this guide are made by NOB MIYAKE, the brand of Nobuki Miyake (三宅誠己), a certified traditional craftsman of kinsai (gold-leaf decoration) who has been hand-painting Japanese bridal kimono in Kyoto for more than 37 years. Budgets run from ¥7,700 for a kinsai tie pin or a silk pocket square to ¥17,600 for a tie pin and cufflink set.

Kinsai is the Kyoto craft of decorating kimono fabric with gold leaf and gold powder. Nobuki Miyake has taken the techniques he uses on bridal kimono, along with raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), and adapted them to small accessories made in his Kyoto workshop. The shop is run by Miyake Kogei Co., Ltd.

That makes these pieces quieter than they sound. A tie pin is only 0.6 cm wide, yet up close you can see the gold-leaf pattern or the shimmer of abalone shell. Most are decorated with auspicious patterns (kisshō mon'yō, traditional motifs that carry wishes for good fortune), which suits gifts for promotions, retirements and birthdays. Read more in What is kinsai? Kyoto's gold-leaf kimono craft and NOB MIYAKE.

Prices are in Japanese yen including Japanese consumption tax. The amount shown on Buyee will vary with exchange rates and fees.

Every tie pin measures 5.5 × 0.6 cm on a stainless steel base. The difference is the finish.

Hard-to-find leaf in traditional Japanese colors is applied with the maker's own technique, and an auspicious pattern is painted on top in gold leaf. The gold and silver with red leaf versions come in a dedicated case. The light blue version's description also mentions abalone raden. If he mostly wears navy or gray suits, gold is the safe choice; for lighter shirts, consider light blue.

The inner part of natural abalone shell is carved out, turned into raden with the maker's own technique, and painted over with an auspicious pattern in gold leaf. Because mother-of-pearl changes color with the angle of the light, these look livelier than the leaf-only pins. There are two abalone versions, at ¥11,000 and ¥8,800; the product pages do not explain the price difference, so compare the photos. The New Zealand abalone version is ¥11,000.

The gold-leaf set applies a traditional komon (a fine, repeating kimono pattern) over gold leaf and finishes it with a special "diamond" leaf using the oshi-haku (pressed-leaf) technique. It also uses kirimawashi, gold leaf torn into rough pieces. The tie pin is 5.5 × 0.6 × 1.6 cm (6 g) and the cufflinks are 1.9 × 1.4 × 2 cm (10 g). Cufflinks need shirts with cufflink holes in the cuffs, so if he only wears button-cuff shirts, a tie pin alone may get more use.

For a man who rarely wears a tie, or who often goes to weddings and parties, a silk pocket square may be the better choice. Each one is 23 × 23 cm and decorated with a traditional komon pattern using kinsai techniques. There are four traditional colors: ruri-kon (a deep lapis blue), ebicha (a reddish brown), hana-murasaki (a flower purple) and kuri-iro (chestnut brown). The chestnut page notes that the color scheme comes from kimono-making and that the materials are silk and gold powder. No care instructions are given; as a general rule, fabric decorated with gold leaf or powder should not be rubbed or soaked.

ITOSHIO does not ship directly to addresses outside Japan. To order from abroad, use Buyee, a proxy shopping service: open the product page and use the Buyee button on the page to start your order. International shipping, fees and any customs duties are shown on Buyee's screens, and Buyee's guidance tells you which countries and items it can ship.

If the recipient lives in Japan, you can switch to a domestic order from the product page ("I have a delivery address in Japan"). The shop ships within 5 business days of payment for domestic orders; some pieces, such as the chestnut pocket square, list up to 7 days. Allow time if you are aiming for Father's Day or a retirement date.

Step by step: How to buy from ITOSHIO overseas with Buyee. Buyee's site: Buyee

A common guideline is between the third and fourth shirt buttons, so that it shows in the opening of a buttoned jacket.

Each piece is made by hand, so the pattern may differ slightly from the photos, and screen colors may vary.

The shop generally does not accept returns except for defective items.

The maker's page: NOB MIYAKE

Further reading

• What Is Kinsai? Kyoto's Gold-Leaf Kimono Craft and NOB MIYAKE
• Kimono Obi Ties and Bow Ties: Upcycled Obi Accessories
• Japanese Handmade Gifts: Artisan Pieces You Can Order From Abroad