Present with a set of 4

So number 4 is unlucky and I just made the mistake while buying a christmas gift to a japanese family. They are going to be 4 people and I found this awesome handmade chocolate ''sushi'' dessert. It came as a set for 4 people with chopsticks and everything... I bought it in another country so I can't just go back and exchange it, besides i really like the gift idea. What do i do now? Should i open it and single pack the items for each person, although it would ruing the nice packing?

People do not really care about the set of 4 unless it is a wedding gift. (Some people do not mind even it's a wedding gift...)
So do not worry about it, surely they'll just be happy.

Truthfully speaking I don't think it really matters. They would probably be very happy to receive a gift from you.

Japanese sets are normally in odd numbers-e.g., tea sets has 3 or 5 cups etc. It would be recommended to open and box them in three-piece and one-piece sets. Japanese are very polite people, some might not be conservative and they might accept the gift with a smile however, it is wiser not to offend the family, with a set of four.

I think it depends on the age of recipients. Unless you're giving this gift to old people, say 65 or above, I wouldn't worry about it.

It's perfectly ok to give set of 4 chocolate sushi (yum) to a family of 4.

Chocs are lovely gifts. However, Asians of many nationalities and cultures avoid number 4. The word sounds is associated to the sound as in "death". Unless you know parents very well, know they are not superstitious, it is wiser to err than to correct a misinterpreted embarrassing gesture, a gesture never meant to offend.

I am a Japanes near the age of 65 :).

My opinion is that you foreigners (as well as us locals) do not worry about the 4 number when you present something to Japanese.

Yes, as Donaldl says, avoiding 4 is common in Japan (I do not know in other asian countries). In some hotel, they do not have the room numbers starting from 4 or ending up with 4. In Japanese weddings, a present is given to guests at a banquet (Hikidemono in Japanese. I do not know English counterpart of this word). Sometimes Hikidemono includes a set of small confectionaries and we will avoid the number of 4. These things are easily avoided.

However there are cases you would like to select the 4 number. In AnnaSanders' case, I think, 4 chocolates are just appropriate for a family of 4 persons. Actually a family of 4 persons is quite regular in Japan, and we do not think they should increase or decrease :) the family members.

I searched Rakuten Ichiba which is one of the Internet mall in Japan, using the keyword 4ŒÂ“ü(a set of 4) and found many results (24736 items). This is less than the results of 5ŒÂ“ü (37924 items) but more than 8ŒÂ“ü (13142 items).