# japan-gift-etiquette (`next_motion/japan-gift-etiquette`) Actor

Checks a planned gift in Japan against Japanese gift etiquette (timing, noshi wrapping, price range, taboo items) before an AI agent sends it. Answers in English and Japanese.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/next\_motion/japan-gift-etiquette.md
- **Developed by:** [TOHRU NISHIHARA](https://apify.com/next_motion) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $20.00 / 1,000 gift etiquette judgments

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Japan Gift Etiquette Judge

Before your AI agent sends a gift to someone in Japan, ask this Actor whether the gift follows Japanese gift etiquette. It returns a clear verdict with reasons in **English and Japanese**.

### What it checks

- **Timing** — e.g. ochugen (midsummer) and oseibo (year-end) windows, with Kanto/Kansai differences; baby gifts never before birth; funeral return gifts after the 49th-day memorial.
- **Noshi (wrapping)** — bow knot vs. tied knot, black-white for funerals, no noshi for get-well gifts.
- **Price range** — typical amounts, and 1/3–1/2 of the received amount for return gifts (uchiiwai, kodengaeshi).
- **Taboo items** — knives and fragile items for weddings, potted plants for get-well gifts, cash or vouchers for superiors, the numbers 4 and 9.

### Verdicts

| verdict | meaning |
|---|---|
| `ok` | Within common etiquette |
| `caution` | Acceptable, but read the issues |
| `unsure` | Not enough information or occasion not covered — **do not send yet** |
| `ng` | Not recommended as is |

The Actor never guesses: unknown occasions or missing dates return `unsure`.

### Input

```json
{"requests": [
  {"occasion": "wedding", "gift_date": "2026-11-01", "event_date": "2026-11-21",
   "relationship": "peer", "budget_jpy": 30000, "item_categories": ["fragile"]}
]}
```

Occasions: `ochugen`, `oseibo`, `wedding`, `birth`, `uchiiwai`, `omimai`, `kodengaeshi`.
Up to 100 requests per run.

### Output (one dataset item per request)

`verdict`, `summary_en`/`summary_ja`, `noshi_en`/`noshi_ja`, `price_range_jpy`, `issues[]` (level, en, ja), `rules_version`.

### Pricing

Pay per event: you pay only for each judgment returned.

### Disclaimer

General Japanese gift etiquette. Customs vary by region, family and religion. Operated by NEXT MOTION Inc., Japan.

### Background

Why AI agents get Japanese etiquette wrong (Japanese article): https://zenn.dev/nextmotion/articles/8f494716422019

# Actor input Schema

## `requests` (type: `array`):

One object per planned gift (max 100). Required: occasion (ochugen, oseibo, wedding, birth, uchiiwai, omimai, kodengaeshi) and gift\_date (YYYY-MM-DD). Optional: relationship (superior, peer, junior, family), budget\_jpy, region (kanto, kansai, default), item\_categories (knife, fragile, potted\_plant, cash, gift\_certificate, footwear, socks, meat\_fish), quantity, event\_date (wedding day, birth date, date received, or date of death), received\_amount\_jpy (for return gifts).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "requests": [
    {
      "occasion": "wedding",
      "gift_date": "2026-11-01",
      "event_date": "2026-11-21",
      "relationship": "peer",
      "budget_jpy": 30000,
      "item_categories": [
        "fragile"
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `judgments` (type: `string`):

One judgment per requested gift: verdict, noshi, price range and reasons in English and Japanese.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "requests": [
        {
            "occasion": "wedding",
            "gift_date": "2026-11-01",
            "event_date": "2026-11-21",
            "relationship": "peer",
            "budget_jpy": 30000,
            "item_categories": [
                "fragile"
            ]
        }
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("next_motion/japan-gift-etiquette").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "requests": [{
            "occasion": "wedding",
            "gift_date": "2026-11-01",
            "event_date": "2026-11-21",
            "relationship": "peer",
            "budget_jpy": 30000,
            "item_categories": ["fragile"],
        }] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("next_motion/japan-gift-etiquette").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "requests": [
    {
      "occasion": "wedding",
      "gift_date": "2026-11-01",
      "event_date": "2026-11-21",
      "relationship": "peer",
      "budget_jpy": 30000,
      "item_categories": [
        "fragile"
      ]
    }
  ]
}' |
apify call next_motion/japan-gift-etiquette --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,next_motion/japan-gift-etiquette"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/XOz3h3dFwawiF22op/builds/xpkwMIpsnXRipRIZI/openapi.json