Happy New Year everyone! Thank you for all your help and support in 2023. We hope that you had a wonderful experience with us this past year. And now it is time for a new beginning, the year 2024. Have you decided your New Year resolution? We wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy new year, filled with a lot of joy and smiles. Also, we look forward to seeing you all again this year. We are very excited to help you have authentic Japanese experiences with us this coming year!
As those of you who have shopped at Maido at the beginning of the year already know, we sell the popular Japanese fukubukuro and fukubako (lucky bags and boxes) every year. This year is no exception. They're like goody bags here in the U.S.A. There are multiple items inside, and you do not know what is inside until you open the package. The total value of the items in them are higher than what you pay. Since you never know what is in the package, you can have a mixed feelings of surprise, excitement, and thrill until you open it!
This year, we will be closed on January 1, 2, and 3 as we will have a New Year's break longer than usual. In Japan, many stores and companies are closed between January 1st and 3rd for New Year's holidays. During this period, people generally take time off from work to spend time with family and relatives and exchange New Year's greetings. Traditionally, many events and games are held only during this period, and it is considered an important time to celebrate the New Year.
So, our first business day of the New Year is January 4. We will start selling the fukubukuro and fukubako on that day. They sell out quickly every year. Come and get them before they run out! Today, we present to you the two types of them we are offering for sale this year.
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Fukubukuro and Fukubako Maido Offers
Snack Fukubako Lucky Box
Price: $10
Items: about 10 kinds including 1 drink
Value: about $20
Availability: 100 boxes
This snack fukubako is the perfect box for anyone who loves Japanese sweets and snacks. The box contains traditional wagashi Japanese style items as well as western style items, both sweet and savory flavors. You can also enjoy various textures. And what's more, the box not only contains snacks, but also the ever-popular drink that everyone loves. This is a great chance to try out products you may not have known about or have never tried before, not to mention that it may contain some of your favorite products. There is no reason not to buy this. You can buy one and eat and drink right away. Or buy multiple and stock up. (Please note that you can possibly get the exact same items in different boxes, as there will be 100 boxes available.)
Kawaii Cute Fukubukuro Lucky Bag
Price: $20
Items: about 10 items
Value: over $40
Availability: 20 bags
Kawaii is the culture of cuteness in Japan. However, Japanese kawaii culture is now not only limited to Japan, but has spread throughout the world, and we have a lot of kawaii lovers among our customers. This fukubukuro is packed with kawaii goods that are more than twice as valuable. This bag is filled with Sanrio characters that represent the Japanese kawaii culture, as well as other kawaii characters' goods. You must come and get this bag if you are a kawaii lover! It contains stationery items, something you can wear, and something you can decorate your items. Furthermore, you might get your best friend in this bag! It is definitely a great value for money.
*Fukubako and fukubukuro are limited production. All sales are final. No return, no exchange are accepted.
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Fukubukuro is Very Popular in Japan
Every New Year, thousands of people line up to buy fukubukuro in Japan. They are filled with everything the store sells, from clothing to food, and the contents of most stores' fukubukuro are not revealed, just like Maido's.
Originally started as a way for Japanese department stores to clear out their inventories, the practice has become an annual New Year's tradition throughout Japan. It is like a big event nowadays.
Sales of fukubukuro begin on the first business day of January and continue until they are sold out. For many Japanese people, the New Year does not begin without fukubukuro.
The exact origin of the fukubukuro is unknown. There are many theories, but one theory is that they appeared as early as 1900, when department stores first appeared in Japan.
According to this theory, department stores packed their unsold goods in invisible bags and sold them at reasonable prices. Today, not only department stores but also all kinds of stores including restaurants throughout Japan sell fukubukuro.
Even global stores such as Starbucks and Apple have jumped on the fukubukuro trend. The contents of the fukubukuro are no longer unsold items, but are filled with premium items that would cost more than the fukubukuro if purchased individually. The prices of the fukubukuro vary from a few hundred yen to tens of thousands of yen. (100 yen is approximetely 70 cents currently.)
Since the number of fukubukuro is limited, many Japanese people line up for hours before their favorite stores open to get their hands on the fukubukuro they want. The fun part is not knowing what is inside and the chance to get the item at a lower price than the actual price.
Why don't you experience such Japanese culture at Maido?
a long line to buy fukubukuro in front of a department store
inside the department store
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There is a lot of food items, housewares, stationery, and gifts available at the store and our online store, Maido! Kairashi Shop, where you can place your order for shipping or store pickup! Happy shopping. :)
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