JohnnyLaRue Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 It's the busiest shopping day of the year. Almost ALL stores are closed on the 1st and 2nd and re-open on the 3rd. Nobody really waits inline before the stores open here. A few "crazy" people do though as they line up one hour before open. These people are deemed crazy and weird. You might ask what are they waiting for? So what is the big deal here? LUCKY BAGS!! Just about every store has them. You pay a certain amount of money and choose your bag (or box). Bags come in all prices (as low as 300 yen or as high as 120,000 yen) $3 to $1200 What is in a Lucky Bag? Anything the store sells and the "doorbusters" are in the bag (in the form of a ticket for most items). Clothing stores: You get a bag of clothes and most women will trade clothes outside the store after they buy the bag in hopes of getting items they want. Electronic stores: I have a pic of the bags below. Bic Camera (like a Best Buy) http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6931/luckybagbiccamera.jpg The big "doorbusters" there were 3D Tvs and PCs. The hot selling bag was the 35,000 yen bag that could have a fancy PC in it or laptop. Or you could get 35,000 yen (or less) worth of merchandise (electric razors, hair curlers, DVD players, video games, anime DVDs..etc). The toy stores (Yes they have TRU here) have the same Lucky Bags as well. Though they were not as popular I think. TRU bags left over (about 5pm) http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9761/toysrusluckybags.jpg These bags seemed to sell out faster http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8529/moretoysrusluckybags.jpg The most popular LUCKY BOX deal was in the middle of the mall. It was 300 yen (about $3) for the box http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8049/lotsofluckyboxes.jpg You can see the prizes below http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1403/luckyboxprizes.jpg I decided to roll the dice and got 2 boxes and managed to reach over the kids hopped up on sugar to get two. I got 2 anime keychains in the first box and some anime toy in the 2nd. Clearly I was not lucky. Also it is very LOUD as you have employees with megaphones shouting at you to come into the stores and they have the best prices! Sayings like hey sexy and hey pretty woman are often said as well. If I am still here in Japan for it this year I will take new photos and try to get some video footage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamat2011 Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 that's amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansieDZ Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Love the pix and the cultural differences! (Is it common to have non-Asian people as models?- I noticed the little girl in the Lucky Box ad looks definitely non-Japanese. Just curious) I don't mind a "grab bag" deal for a chance at something but are you saying that ALL the deals are hidden? I wouldn't like that as a regular way of shopping. It's definitely different in other parts of the world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfordmom Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I've noticed on the websites that sell items that are shipped from China (like www.meritline.com) that when they use models they are not Asian models either and wondered why too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deljack27 Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I wish they had something like that here in S.Korea! Non-Asian models are very popular here, especially if they have blonde or lighter colored hair. S.Koreans go crazy over kids that have blonde and red hair, and they will stop whatever they are doing just to get a picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I remember these now. I wouldn't mind picking up a few but would like regular doorbusters too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Thank you so much for posting this. I enjoyed it last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyLaRue Posted November 6, 2011 Author Share Posted November 6, 2011 I don't mind a "grab bag" deal for a chance at something but are you saying that ALL the deals are hidden?About 90% of the BIG deals are hidden I guess. (Is it common to have non-Asian people as models?-)Lots of ads here have USA celebs (Boss coffee - Tommy Lee Jones) as opposed to local celebs. Even Babies R Us has non asian baby models here! http://www.toysrus.co.jp/b/index.html?mail_id=toytbru My take is non asians are unique and exotic based on personal experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogiporkchop Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 That would be correct. I've spent lots time in Japan (and studying the country) and exotic is popular, especially natural blonde/red hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyLaRue Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 The 1st Lucky Bag deal was leaked on the weekend. I noticed Bic Camera had an ad in store about the doorbuster (my word not theirs). From what I could read you had a chance at some pricey vacation, some laptop (I think?), some odd winter face warming thing, a 5000 yen ($50) gift card and something else I can not recall. I am sure I am leaving a lot out as my kanji skills are awful My guess is the bag will go for well over $50/5000 yen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I was reminded of this ad at my local Michaels this weekend. They stuck stuff in shopping bags and tied them up with a "lucky bag" tag and a price. LOL....The way it works around here, ppl open bags and then just dump everything they don't want out and leave empty bags and loose items in the wire bin. It was so ridiculous, the employees are standing right next to the ppl and shoving crap back into bags and placing back in bin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgmckny Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 At EXP CON almost all the asian vendors had lucky bags, some you could get for a dollar or two with a purchase, others were more expensive. Noticed a lot of the younger crowd indulged in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjncmj Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Thanks for sharing this again, I missed it last year! The Lucky Bag thing sounds kind of fun, although I totally understand why people don't wait in long lines for them. My brother lived in Japan for 10 years and my sis-in-law (his wife) is Japanese, I'm gonna ask them more about this when I see them on T-Day. As for S. Korea, I must go visit! I also have a long list of k-drama actors I would love to meet lol. A family friend recently went to China with his 10 year old daughter and the natives were constantly stopping her to take pics and touch her. I was told at first she thought it was funny, then became annoyed by it, then by the end of their 2 week visit she was used to it and took it in stride. She is neither blonde nor red headed, just Caucasian and cute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyLaRue Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 A family friend recently went to China with his 10 year old daughter and the natives were constantly stopping her to take pics and touch her. I was told at first she thought it was funny, then became annoyed by it, then by the end of their 2 week visit she was used to it and took it in stride. She is neither blonde nor red headed, just Caucasian and cute.*nods head* Yea when I travel in rural areas here I get the touching and pics taken. I get a lot of stares as well. I am used to it by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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