When to give gift

Hello,

I was just wondering when is the appropriate time to give gift to a Japanese who has kindly invited us to spend a few days/nights at his home?
When we meet, we will immediately go to a local pub for diner and meet a few of his friends there. Is it custum to also give his friends a little something? (we will have a lot of postcards to give away, but we'll have a bigger gift for the host and his wife)

Any advice would be much appreciated :)

Autumn,

I was just wondering when is the appropriate time to give gift to a Japanese who has kindly invited us to spend a few days/nights at his home?

As soon as you arrive at his home. You don't want him having to carry the package around while you walk around for dinner.

Is it custum to also give his friends a little something?

Not at all. But you are free to give small tokens such as those postcards. Something more than that will make them wonder if they should give gifts in return.

When my teen son arrives to his host family (for two weeks), is it appropriate to give the gifts he is bringing as soon as he arrives? He has some things specifically for the younger children, who may be in bed (he arrives after 21:00). Does that come into the timing at all, or should he give the "family gifts" on arrival, and the kids' stuff the next morning or evening?

Uco, thank you for your kind answer!

Rootles,

There is nothing culturally special about your question. If I were your son, I'd just tell the folks that I have gifts for the children too and see what they have to say about it. Up to him.