As the end of the year approaches, it's time to start planning and purchasing lucky bags (Fukubukuro)! 

The charm of lucky bags lies in the element of surprise. While you can't choose what's inside, if you're lucky, the items could be worth much more than the price of the bag, allowing you to get higher value items at a much lower cost than usual! However, sometimes you may encounter what's known as a "disappointing lucky bag (Utsubukuro)," where the value of the contents is far below expectations. Despite that, it's part of the charm of lucky bags, and you can treat it as a chance to try your luck at the end of the year! ✨

There are many theories about the origin of the lucky bag, one of which is that during the Edo period, merchants, aiming to make full use of leftover silk fabric from making kimonos, put the material into bags and sold them under the name "Ebisu bags (Ebisubukuro)." These bags became hugely popular throughout Edo, eventually becoming one of Japan's unique marketing traditions. Over time, the contents and sales methods of lucky bags have evolved, and now many lucky bags can be purchased online. No need to wait in long lines in the cold or even visit Japan in person—by using proxy shopping services, you can buy the latest lucky bags from all over the world!

In this article, we will introduce things to keep in mind when shopping for lucky bags online and recommend some interesting lucky bags for 2025!

What to keep in mind when shopping for lucky bags online?

1 Release Time and Purchase Method

The release times for lucky bags vary by store, but there are generally three methods:

• Regular purchase (通常購入): Purchase the lucky bag directly from the store's website during the specified date and time.
• Pre-order (予約販売): Pre-order the lucky bag before the official release, confirming your purchase by a specified date. For popular lucky bags, it's recommended to pre-order in advance. Some stores may start pre-orders as early as mid-November, so don't miss out!

• Lottery purchase (抽選販売): You need to apply in advance to be eligible for purchase. The store will then randomly select winners from the applicants to receive the opportunity to buy the product.

   

In addition to official releases, lucky bags are also available through exclusive collaborations with online shopping platforms such as Rakuten, Amazon Japan, and Yahoo! Japan Shopping. If you're interested, be sure to check them out!

When shopping on the BEX Market, you can compare the content and prices of lucky bags across various platforms with just one search!

Normally, when shopping on your usual online platforms, you might need to check which one offers the best price for the same product. But with BEX Market, all you need to do is search once, and you'll instantly see which platform gives you the best deal!

2 Carefully check the contents of the lucky bag and confirm whether the types of items can be shipped overseas

The items in a lucky bag are generally not selectable, and many stores do not offer exchange or return services. Therefore, be sure to carefully read the store’s description of the lucky bag to ensure you get the products you want at a great value! Additionally, make sure the items you want can be shipped overseas, such as fresh or frozen food, or electrical appliances that may not work outside Japan due to voltage issues.

If you have any questions, you can check BEX Market's "About prohibited or dangerous goods" list:

About prohibited or dangerous goods

Use BEX Market’s Consolidated Shipping service to easily have your desired lucky bags delivered directly to your home, saving more on shipping costs!

Want to buy multiple lucky bags but worried about high shipping costs? With BEX Market's Consolidated Shipping service, you can easily have lucky bags from different stores delivered all at once! Now, let's take a look at some of the exciting lucky bags for 2025! And make sure to stay until the end, as we'll also introduce some fun lucky bags!

Japan Lucky Bags 2025 Selection

１Japanese Department Store 

Not sure which type of lucky bag to buy? Then we recommend visiting the lucky bag page of Japanese department stores, where you'll find everything from food, fashion, to home goods. The pre-sale times and contents vary depending on the brand and store, so take your time browsing to see what catches your interest!

TAKASHIMAYA　高島屋

TAKASHIMAYA is a renowned Japanese department store known for offering a wide variety of high-quality products. In its Lucky Bag collection, you can find an impressive selection of bags, including those filled with gourmet foods, women’s and men’s fashion, home goods, and baby and children’s items—plenty of options to choose from for a fresh start to the year!

Website：https://www.takashimaya.co.jp/shopping/
Release Date: Varies by brand and store, please click the webpage for more details.

 ISETAN MITSUKOSHI　三越伊勢丹

ISETAN MITSUKOSHI offers a variety of unique New Year's Lucky Bags for 2025, featuring fashion, luxury items, beauty products, and home goods. These carefully curated lucky bags include top brands, with a dedicated section for cosmetic lucky bags that showcases more than 20 brands. It’s a fantastic opportunity to explore premium selections for the New Year, so don’t miss out!

Website：https://www.mistore.jp/shopping/feature/shops_f3/fukubukuro_sp
Release Date: Varies by brand and store, please click the webpage for more details.

DAIMARU MATSUZAKAYA　大丸松坂屋

DAIMARU MATSUZAKAYA, known for its accessibility and appeal to a broad range of shoppers, offers a wide variety of products. Their lucky bag collection includes popular children’s clothing brands, home goods, and limited edition items. Many of the lucky bags have already started selling, so don’t forget to click the webpage for more details!

Website：https://www.daimaru-matsuzakaya.jp/special/fukubukuro/
Release Date: Varies by brand and store, please click the webpage for more details.

２Fashion Online Shopping Platforms

If you're looking to update your wardrobe with fashion brands for the new year, you can find your favorite items on the following online fashion shopping platforms! Each platform offers different deals and terms, so be sure to read carefully.

 

Fashion Walker

Fashion Walker is an online fashion platform that sells over 2,200 popular brand items. This year’s lucky bag collection features trendy women's brands like gelato pique, SNIDEL, and Mila Owen. The website also offers a look at last year’s lucky bag contents, helping you easily choose the perfect one for yourself!

Website：https://fashionwalker.com/contents/fukubukuro/　
Release Date: Varies by brand and store, please click the webpage for more details.

PAL CLOSET

PAL CLOSET offers a wide range of fashion choices, from mature casual styles to sweet date outfits, catering to different occasions. Their highly popular and value-for-money lucky bags will begin accepting reservations on November 20. The website provides the reservation times for each brand on that day, so you can check and plan ahead now!

Website：https://www.palcloset.jp/shared/pc_pal/event/palcloset/fukubukuro25/　
Release Date: Pre-order starts from November 20th

ZOZOTOWN

On the vast ZOZOTOWN shopping platform, you can easily find lucky bags suitable for various age groups and styles. Take advantage of the end-of-year season to refresh your wardrobe and treat your family to stylish outfits, all while enjoying the fun of fashion coordination!

Website：https://zozo.jp/category/others/lucky-box-lucky-bags/
Release Date：Varies by brand and store, please click the webpage for more details.

3 Special Introduction: Interesting Japanese Store Lucky Bags

In addition to the well-known Japanese brands, there are also some interesting Japanese store lucky bags that we would like to recommend to you!

SURUGAYA　駿河屋

In addition to the main anime products, Surugaya, which also sells a variety of products like games, CDs, DVDs, and more, has started a large sale of lucky bags, offering current stock at unbeatable prices! Try your luck and see if you can get the desired high-value items!

SURUGAYA Lucky Bags

Website：https://www.suruga-ya.jp/feature/outlet-box-sale/index.html
Release Date: Varies by content, please click the website for details.

YOJIYA　よーじや

YOJIYA is a Kyoto-based beauty brand known for its commitment to carefully selected ingredients and the gentle experience of its products. They offer oil-blotting papers and a variety of highly-rated skincare items. Their yearly lucky bags, which sell out immediately, are now open for reservation! From skincare products to tote bags, everything you need for daily skincare is included. If you’re interested, be sure to reserve yours soon!

YOJIYA Happy Bag 2025

Website：https://www.yojiyacosme.com/2024/11/07/happybag2024/
Release Date: Reservations Now Open

LUPICIA

LUPICIA is a specialty tea shop from Tokyo, offering a limited-edition tea bag lucky bag this year, with choices of black tea, green tea, and oolong. Tea lovers won’t want to miss this! The shop also sells tea ware, so along with the lucky bag, you can pick up teapots and more to enjoy a relaxing tea-filled New Year.

LUPICIA Tea Bag Luck Bag

Website：https://www.lupicia.com/shop/e/efuku/ 
Release Date: Reservations Now Open

Hope you find a lucky bag that brings you joy for the New Year!