Etymology of 土産 {みやげ}


The pronunciation "みやげ" does not correspond to on'yomi nor kun'yomi of `土産`,
so I thought it was a _gikun_ (義訓), but the combination of kanji `土` and `産`
does not seem to provide the meaning of "souvenir" either. Based on the
pronunciation, I previously thought that it was taken from the verb stem of
`見上げる` and the meaning "to look up at" does sound like it's related to giving
souvenir, but the slight difference in the second syllables of "みやげ" and "みあげ"
has a lot to say against this theory.

So what was the origin of the word and kanji `土産{みやげ}`?




There are several explanations I found on [gogen-allguide](http://gogen-
allguide.com/mi/miyage.html):

The kanji are obvious, it's a souvenir, a product of the land.

The reading can come from 見上 (みあげ) as you "look" (見) for something to "give"
(上), from 屯倉（みやけ）which is a place with stocks (of souvenirs?), from 都笥（みやこけ）,
宮倉（みやけ）, 家笥（みやけ）」 which all evoke some place and some container.

The ateji was probably chosen at the end of Muromachi.

PS: I don't see why the いあ -> や mutation "has a lot to say against this
theory". On the contrary, I find it very likely.




There are several explanations I found on [gogen-allguide](http://gogen-
allguide.com/mi/miyage.html):

The kanji are obvious, it's a souvenir, a product of the land.

The reading can come from 見上 (みあげ) as you "look" (見) for something to "give"
(上), from 屯倉（みやけ）which is a place with stocks (of souvenirs?), from 都笥（みやこけ）,
宮倉（みやけ）, 家笥（みやけ）」 which all evoke some place and some container.

The ateji was probably chosen at the end of Muromachi.

PS: I don't see why the いあ -> や mutation "has a lot to say against this
theory". On the contrary, I find it very likely.

