JAPAN KOKORO: December 2013

New Year Happy Bag 2014

福袋 (Fuku-bukuro) literally refers to “Lucky Bag”, but it is usually referred to “Happy Bag” of bargain sales nowadays. It is a New Year custom (may be throughout the year as well) where businessmen fill with random products and sell to general public at a substantial discount to attract customers to shop. It is one of the major events in Japan. Fuku-bukuro (Happy Bag) sales usually starts on Jan 2 (Jan 1 is public holiday, but some shops will open & start selling happy bag on Jan 1). However, the economy is getting worse, businessmen want to boost up their sales and create a happy atmosphere for customer to shop. Similar to the Boxing Sales in North America, Japanese Happy Bag Sales now starts from early or mid December.

In most cases, there is “No refund or No exchange” on Happy Bag. As a result, you need to make sure your size when you pick any fashion Happy Bag as the bag will be filled up with clothes e.g. jumper, T-shirt, jacket in same size. You cannot choose the color, style, contents. Businessmen used to fill up with unsellable items or obsolete items inside the bag as a bundle. But still, the total retail price of the items inside will be much more than the selling price of the Happy Bag itself. The Happy Bag will be marked as 10,000 yen, 20,000 yen or 30,000 yen. In some cases, it could be sold at 100,000 yen or 1,000yen depends on the cost of the products.

Anyway, try to study the flyers or the websites of the stores you want to buy the Happy Bag first. Then, target on few of the Happy Bags (Yes!! Not all of them!!!). And make sure you check the stores opening hours during the New Year or the start day of Happy Bag Sales and its delivery charge if buy online. Below are some of the websites you could check in advance (Sorry! Japan only).