INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
The words Fukubukuro, or lucky bag, are written on this bright red paper bag
They're called Fukubukuro - and at the start of each New Year, thousands of people in Japan queue up for hours to get their
hands on them.Fukubukuro - or lucky bags - are essentially mystery goodie bags that contain anything from clothes to food, depending on the
They started out as a way for Japanese department stores to get rid of old stock at the start of the year, but now have become an annual
craze nationwide.'The excitement of not knowing'Sales for Fukubukuro open every year on 1 January, and they're typically sold across the
entire first week of January, or until they run out
For many, it isn't the New Year without a Fukubukuro
It's unclear how exactly the Fukubukuro originated - there are multiple stories told - but one version says they were sold as early the
1900s when department stores started cropping up in Japan
The department stores, it is said, wanted to get rid of their stock before the start of the New Year and so decided to sell mystery bags
filled with random leftover goods at a sizeable discount.Today, department stores around Japan and even global chains like Starbucks and
Armani have jumped on the trend
Bags are now no longer filled with random leftovers, but are usually stacked with premium objects that would be significantly more expensive
The costs range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars.Many queue up for hours in front of their favourite stores just to get their
hands on a Fukubukuro, as they are usually sold only in limited amounts
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
The queues for Fukubukuro can extend far beyond a store
Image
copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
And once you're in the store itself, its another battle trying to get hold of a bag
"[Buying a Fukubukuro] is a bit like gambling," Clark Lawton from Japan told the TheIndianSubcontinent
"I've bought Fukuburos myself it's the excitement of not knowing what's inside them, and also the chance at getting something cheaper
than its actual cost."Luck of the drawEvery year, people take to social media to post pictures of their Fukubukuro "haul"."I'm so satisfied
with this year's Fukubukuro!" says this Twitter user
"Best of all, the size is perfect."Even restaurants and cafes are now selling Fukubukuro bags.But some who might not be as lucky with their
Fukuburo haul have taken to selling it online, or swapping it amongst friends.And if that's you - well, there's always next year
Image copyrightScreenshot/Yahoo AuctionImage caption
Various Fukubukuros have already been put up for sale online
