Midsummer gifts retail market size in Japan 2014-2024
In 2024, the midsummer gifts (ochugen) market in Japan was forecast to reach 656 billion Japanese yen, a decrease from around 819 billion yen in 2014.
Initially, ochugen were presented to ancestors around the time of the Buddhist Ghost Festival in July. Due to the fading religious connotation, the gifts are given to friends and acquaintances nowadays.