As we enter the new year, fukubukuro lucky bag sales in Japan are heating up, with more and more stores releasing blind-buy grab bags in what’s become an ongoing Japanese New Year’s tradition.
Our reporters are always on the lookout for the best bags on the market, and this year, our local FamilyMart brought the goods with not one but two fukubukuro that have been widely praised by customers.
▼ These lucky bags are special in that they’re not official but “indie” varieties put together by the store operator.
As is often the case with fukubukuro, the contents may differ from bag to bag but you can rest assured that you’ll always get your money’s worth, as the products inside are worth more than the cost of the lucky bag.
So what’s inside the fukubukuro we picked up on our visit to FamilyMart? Let’s start with the big bag, below.
・Bite Size Kabukiage Rice Crackers (128 yen)
・Green Tea (108 yen)
・Lightly Salted Potato Chips (150 yen)
・Chocolate Filled Cream Puffs (138 yen)
・Shrimp Tempura Soba (170 yen)
・Meat Sauce (190 yen)
The big bag cost 500 yen, giving us a saving of 384 yen as the six products inside were valued at 884 yen. That was a good deal for both the customer and the chain, as all the products were own-name “Famimaru” exclusives, helping to introduce customers to items they may not have tried before.
▼ So what about the small bag?
・Milk Doughnut (108 yen)
・Financier Made with French Lactic Butter (145 yen)
・Waffle Made with French Lactic Butter (145 yen)
・Chocolate Pound Cake (180 yen)
・Baumkuchen Made with French Lactic Butter (180 yen)
Despite being smaller in size, this lucky bag was also priced at 500 yen, and it offered a great deal too, as the total cost for the five sweets inside was 758 yen, giving us a saving of 258 yen.
The large bag might’ve offered a greater saving, but the smaller bag was sweeter, in all senses of the word. Out of all the products, however, the one we were most surprised by was the Shrimp Tempura Soba, which we didn’t even know existed.
▼ The shrimp flavor was fantastic, and in balance with the other ingredients.
It was so good that we returned to the store to pick up another bag in the hopes of netting another shrimp soba, but by that time, they’d already sold out. It just goes to show how good the fukubukuro are, so if you’re lucky enough to spot one during your travels, be sure to grab it before it’s gone.
Photos©SoraNews24
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- Japan super budget dining – What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen at FamilyMart?
-- The Animate anime lucky bag is an otaku mind-blowing value【Photos】
-- We push our luck and buy a lucky bag from a Japanese vending machine
© SoraNews24
6 Comments
Login to comment
YeahRight
I've never bought one and never will. Even if the items inside are worth more than the cost of the bag, what do you do if it's something you don't like? Or worse, something you're allergic to? In the case of a clothing store, you might get something that doesn't fit you at all. I don't know why anyone buys those bags. It's more of a way for merchants to get rid of unsold goods than a bargain for the customer.
falseflagsteve
Long time since I’ve seen an article written by Oona, they usually regarding food from convenience stores or fast food joints.
Like YeahRight I also have never partaken in the purchase of these lucky bags and I doubt I ever will.
Japantime
These type of bags are very popular in Japan. They sell out very quickly. I hope everyone got a good lucky bag. Enjoy.
Pukey2
The usual junk food, apart from the tea. I'd never pay for something if I didn't even know what was inside. I'd rather play the lottery.
Zaphod
There is nothing in there I would be interested in, even if it was free. And people pay for that junk...
Carlyn Short
I bought a giant fukubukuru bag at my favorite thrift shop in Misawa. Everything in it was brand new, still in the box and worth 10 times the 1000 yen I paid. Kitchen items, electronics, stuff that I needed for my apartment. I love this tradition and this country!