fukubukuro (Page 11)
Fans of the acclaimed anime studio are swooning over this bag full of cute Ghibli merchandise that costs just 25 bucks!
Starbucks jams this year’s lucky bag with coffee beans, vouchers, and gorgeous drinkware, all for roughly 50 bucks!
In order to figure out what might be in the bag this year, we have to look to the past to see the future!
Even the world’s biggest sandwich chain is getting in on Japan’s lucky bag retail tradition.
What did we find in our 2016 Toys “R” Us lucky bags? Join us as we open both a “boys’ version” and a “girls’ version” bag!
Popular anime shop Animega makes up their New Year lucky bag with all our favourite Sailor Moon characters, including Luna the cat.
Donguri Kyowakoku, the chainstore that sells nothing but Studio Ghibli items, has delighted fans with the best offering of the year: a bag filled with amazing Ghibli merchandise.
The fukubukuro fun continues as we snag a lucky bag crammed full of merch, including limited edition items, from the Evangelion Store Tokyo-01.
A new year means new lucky bags! So, how’s the haul from Starbucks? We find out after waiting in line all night!
Kentucky Fried Chicken may be a favorite Christmas food in Japan, but thanks to this limited-time offer, the feasting may just have to continue!
Japan has many wonderful New Year’s traditions, including visiting the local shrine, eating auspicious food, and sending postcards to all your friends. But one of the most exciting and potentially disappointing activities that occur on the first day of January is the purchasing of fukubukuro. Commonly referred to as “Lucky Bags” in English, fukubukoro are specially priced parcels of surplus items from popular stores across Japan that are usually valued well over the purchase price.
This year, we sent 10 of our Japanese reporters out on the streets early New Year’s morning to gather up the best Lucky Bags they could find. Some came back with somewhat useless products even Mr. Sato wouldn’t want. Other’s were pleasantly surprised to find rare and valuable items nestled in their bags. But despite deep discounts, Lucky Bags aren’t always worth the wait and price, so in order to save you time on next year’s Japanese New Year’s shopping adventures, each of our writers has chosen the best Lucky Bags this side of the Pacific.
Remember the Muji Fortune Can that we featured a few days ago from our favorite minimalist home goods store, Muji? Following that welcome discovery, our Japanese reporter also managed to get her hands on both a Muji Women’s Clothing Lucky Bag and a Muji Health & Beauty Lucky Bag.
Although she was content with most of the surprises, there was one clothing item in particular that stumped her–can anyone give her a few tips on how best to wear it? Don’t miss her mini fashion show after the jump!
It seems like we’ve been spending every spare moment we have snatching up fukubukuro, the lucky bag bundles that shoppers in Japan buy at New Year’s without knowing what’s inside. As a matter of fact, by the time we stopped and took count, we’d grabbed eight different fukubukuro from cafés near our office.
As a result, we’re pretty much stocked up on coffee for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, we’ve got so much we’d be happy to pour you a cup, if only the RocketNews24 offices had a visitors’ lounge. But since it doesn’t, instead, we’re going to give you the information you need to pick the best café lucky bag for yourself, as we present the RocketNews24 Ultimate Café Fukubukuro Ranking 2015.
When you buy a fukubukuro (lucky bag) from a store in Japan, you can usually be sure that the value of their contents will surpass the amount you paid for the bag; it’s a guarantee, or else no one would ever buy them! But when you decide to buy a fukubukuro from a secondhand store, you certainly can’t feel 100% sure that you will get your money’s worth.
Are your secondhand items going to be in good condition? Are you going to be getting some good value? Or are you getting the games that even the secondhand store just wants to get rid of? Let Tokyo’s most famous used video game store Super Potato help you decide after the break.




















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Two of Kyoto’s famous temples tackle streetside trash with solar-powered trash cans
7-Eleven Japan joins the craze for Korean Gamja Cheese Balls
Starbucks Japan releases special limited-edition summer drinks… at only 30 stores
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Luxury houseplant fraud leads to arrest of Takamatsu man
Anne Hathaway creates PR frenzy in Japan after mentioning Tottori in Devil Wears Prada interview