New Year's Day Lucky Bags in Saitama

Lucky (/dip) bags are a very popular New Year's tradition. I first happened upon lucky bags quite by accident when I was a student here. It was early in the New Year and myself and my friends were shopping in Takasaki station. They had a sealed Hello Kitty box on sale in a clearance bin. We asked the shop assistant what was in it. She no longer had the list of contents hence it was in the clearance bin. She said it was stationary but couldn't say what for sure, because it was one of the last "fukubukuro". Well, it contained stationary galore and to this day it is the best value for money purchase I ever made. Plus, I still have the box all the goodies came in!

福 fuku means luck and 袋 bukuro is a bag. Afore mentioned sales clerk explained that lucky bags are made up of goodies for a discounted price. Clothes shops offer clothes fukubukuro, electronic shops may have household goods etc. They even have vegetable lucky bags much to the delight of our resident writer Tomuu https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Tomuu/Gyk7M-food_shopping_tokyo_adachi-ku.  I only realised in recent years that some lucky bags are more famous than others. Shibuya 109 may possibly be the most famous. It draws thousands.

Meanwhile in Saitama...well, hmmm, not sure we have anything to the level of Shibuya 109, but there are some good ones. Here's a little round-up for those of you who plan to venture out in the crowds on New Year's Day. There are others that start on January 2nd, they are in a separate post. Be warned a lot of these lucky bags sell out within a day.

ARCHE, Omiya Station

Their lucky bags go on sale at 10am on January the 1st and remain at the sale price until the last one is sold. Arche is right in front of the West exit of Omiya Station. There is another sale running simultaneously.
URL: http://www.arche.ne.jp/archenews/#post-176

SOGOU, Omiya

They have various different types of lucky bags on different floors; womens clothing, womens goods, kids clothing, sports and interior etc. In spite having lots of lucky bags, they say that they sell out quickly.  Opening from 10am. Just a minute's walk from Omiya Station.

URL: https://www.sogo-seibu.jp/omiya/

PARCO, Urawa

Lucky bags go on sale at 9am on New Year's day and will remain on sale until the last one is sold. Parco is right beside Urawa station. There is another sale running simultaneously.

URL: http://parco.jp/sale/

APITA Peony Walk Higashimatsuyama

They have a number of different type of lucky bags, some with pyjamas, some with clothes, even some with shoes. The shop will open from 9am. Peony walk is a short bus ride from Takasaka station on the Tobu Tojo line. It has plenty of free parking.

URL: http://www.peonywalk.com/index.html

Mitsui Shopping Park LALAPORT Shin Misato

Opening an hour earlier than usual, at 9am, on New Year's day.  There are other sales running simultaneously.

URL: http://www.lalaport-shinmisato.com/

TOYSRUS/BABIESRUS, Saitama branches

The various Toysrus and Babiesrus around Saitama (Kawagoe, Okegawa, Laketown, Kuki, Iruma etc) offer lucky bags in the New Year. You can already buy them online tonight. They have the type that you don't know what is contained in them, as well as ones that show you what you are getting inside.

URL: http://www.toysrus.co.jp/disp/CSfDispListPage_001.jsp?dispNo=&q=%E7%A6%8F%E8%A2%8B

Go on, treat yourself to one!! They're usually great value for money and a bit of craic too. If there are any really good lucky bags you know of, please do share the information in the comments below. :-)

Whatever you do this New Year, make it a good one. HAPPY NEW YEAR

Related lucky dip bag posts:

https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Tomuu/Gyk7M-food_shopping_tokyo_adachi-ku