
The opinions expressed in this lucky bag are the store’s personal views and don’t reflect those of our organization.
Well, it’s certainly been an excruciatingly long New Year season around our offices, as our writers P.K. Sanjun and Ahiruneko were sent seven fukubukuro lucky bags from the novelty goods chain Village Vanguard. Although there were some highlights, they were largely outweighed by some soul-crushing items to receive.
There are only two bags left, however, so the end of this long, dark tunnel filled with hot sandwich makers and calculators is drawing near. This time, Ahiruneko is set to open the Yellow Lucky Bag that sells for 3,850 yen (US$24). After being pleasantly surprised by the Gold bag, he was utterly filled with despair by the sheer uselessness of the Purple bag.
Will this bag break the deadlock? Let’s FAFO…
The image of a man with his pants around his ankles certainly didn’t bode well for this haul, but the true standout item had to be the cushion. At first, Ahiruneko thought it was shaped like a Heineken bottle cap, but upon closer inspection, it was just full of misspelled nonsense. It also appeared a little worn and dirty, as if it were snatched from someone’s basement rather than an actual retail item.
Then there was a popcorn box that’s meant to hold… popcorn? There was no label or explanation with it, so our writer had no idea what to do with it.
And there was a notepad with the design of a $1,000,000 bill on the front, which is legal tender in the United States of Party.
This was followed by a bottle opener shaped like a slice of pizza. Finally, an end to the tyranny of bottle openers shaped like bottle openers.
Ahiruneko also got some bag clips shaped like French fries. This was actually a cute idea in concept, but the clips seemed too short to fit across most bags.
However, what really sent the Yellow Lucky Bag into the depths of despair was the toilet putting green, which allows you to get in a quick nine while on the crapper.
Nothing about it looks regulation, and there isn’t really much challenge in attempting a 12-inch putt on flat ground. If this is something you feel the need to practice on a regular basis, then golf might not be the game for you.
But there was a much bigger concern about this for Ahiruneko. A lot of Village Vanguard lucky bags tend to have a theme, like everything in the Purple Lucky Bag being large or everything in the Blue Lucky Bag being related to games. It would seem the theme of the Yellow Lucky Bag was the United States of America, with its fast food, currency, and beer. These seemed to be things that exemplified American culture, and, according to Village Vanguard, that culture also includes playing with your balls while dropping a deuce.
Japan is already in Dutch with China these days, and making an enemy of the States by implying they’re a bunch of imported-beer-drinking toilet golfers certainly won’t help. He could just imagine the president seeing this on social media while putting around on the toilet, wigging out, and raising tariffs on our country by a gajillion percent.
▼ Luck Bag Verdict: Undiplomatically Bad
But on the bright side, this was Ahiruneko’s last Village Vanguard bag of the year, so he breathed a sigh of relief. Only one remains for P.K. to open. Will the novelty goods dealer maintain its trend of unhappy New Years, or does a surprise await?
Photos ©SoraNews24
Bag design ©Chocolate
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]









Things get heavy with the Gold Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard
Village Vanguard tries to tickle us pink with a Pink Lucky Bag
The Purple Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is an extra-large waste of money
Time to open the final Village Vanguard Luck Bag of 2026, the magical girl Red Lucky Bag
Village Vanguard’s Blue Lucky Bag may have the most impressive piece of junk ever created
Dorayaki from 89-year-old Japanese confectionery shop is one of the best sweets hidden in Tokyo
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas Frappuccino and holiday drinks for 2025
A Gintama fan’s emotional 19-year journey to buy a proper Lake Toya bokuto wooden katana【Pics】
A century of love – How dating and marriage have evolved in Japan
Beautiful hotel on Japan’s northern island has frozen rooms, ice outdoor bath【Photos】
Sanrio amusement park in Tokyo to host Psycho Game horror event this summer[Video]
The best Japanese curry in Japan isn’t eaten at a restaurant
McDonald’s Japan adds Rilakkuma and friends to its lineup of cute Happy Meal toys
We visit the full-scale Evangelion statue in Kyoto and particularly delight in the food tie-ins
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!
Japanese convenience store gives away free ice cream with creative ad at Shinjuku Station
Japan is so hungry for workers it used up its five-year visa quota in record time
Tsujihan sushi bowl restaurant goes viral with foreign tourists, but is it worth the hype?
7-Eleven Japan releases Uji matcha smoothies… but only at select locations
7-Eleven Japan’s cooked-in-store takoyaki is here! How does it fare against the street food king?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Village Vanguard’s most expensive Black Lucky Bag sets an ominous tone for 2026
How much trash is in Village Vanguard’s 2022 Lucky Bags? We bought 7 to find out
【Lucky Bag Roundup 2018】Celebrate the Year of the Dog with Village Vanguard’s “Cat Lucky Bag 2”
Village Vanguard possibly tops its own record for most useless junk in a lucky bag this year
Is Village Vanguard Outlet’s 2023 lucky bag filled with 60,000 yen worth of trash or treasure?
Village Vanguard’s “dangerous” lucky bag promises thrilling highs and miserable lows
Does the 2023 Village Vanguard Lucky Bag satisfy our need for useless junk? Let’s find out!
Great deals on edible scorpions and more at Village Vanguard this holiday season!
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
What’s inside the McDonald’s Japan fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
Starbucks Japan’s Lucky Bag #3: A fukubukuro surprise we weren’t expecting
【Lucky Bag Roundup 2017】 We push our luck with a 3,000 yen “lucky bag” from Akihabara junk shop
How lucky are the themed retro video game lucky bags from this shop in the Tokyo boonies?
【Lucky Bag Roundup 2017】PPAP inspires a pineapple fukubukuro from Loft
The Muji “Fukukan” puts a disappointing spin on Japan’s New Year’s lucky bag tradition
【Lucky Bag Roundup 2017】MOS Burger fukubukuro fills us up with fast food and cute goods