Just in case some of you don't know what these are, they are a way to get rid of surplus (or maybe unpopular?) merchandise, and are for sale everywhere as soon as the New Year sale starts. Even McDonald's has them and they are full of toys that are left over from all the "Happy Meals".

So has anyone bought a surprise bag from somewhere that turned out to be a really good one?

I only got one so far at a food shop (it was full of cookies made by a manufacturer in Brazil) and cost 1000 yen. It was slightly heavy so I was hoping for at least a bottle of wine to be included. I won't go near the clothing shop "fukubukuro" since there is no way any of those things would fit me.

Someone I know paid 10,000 yen for one at Eddie Bauer and got a wool jacket, wool vest, hat, gloves... and more all in one bag. But it wasn't clear what the regular retail pricing would have been (she didn't tell me).

SO GLAD you brought this up, Cornelia.
My husband bought a "fukubukuro" at Kiddyland for 3000 yen, and I groaned (all my son needs is more toys, I thought!) It turned out that the bag was stuffed with about 13,000 yen worth of games, robots, a computer, seals, and (to him) fascinating baubles. And, because Kiddyland separates their bags into Boy and Girl categories, my son wasn't "grossed out" by a Barbie or something equally repulsive to his six-year-old sensibilities. My son is still opening the stuff he got in the bag--it was a very good deal! There were also smaller, less expensive bags available, my husband said.

My "fukubukuro" experience was positive too ! The Body Shop had them for Y1000 and inside was the equivalent of almost Y10,000 worth of wonderful bits and pieces !

It definitely wasn't items you'd consider as left-overs. I wonder how they can afford to do that?

Has anyone a really good Fubukuro bag "buy" to share this season? There are some stuffed toys and other items on 50% off at the Disney Store right now. I got a "Stitch" at the Shibuya branch.

Yes! I got a 3000yen fukubukuro from the Bjornelund shop in Keio Department store, Shinjuku. I got the one for 3-4 years as we had loads of 1-2 year toys floating around after christmas.

Contents were

Magnetic calendar with pictures for weather, days of week etc (this alone cost 4,500yen in the shop and I was planning to buy it anyway)
Cute wooden mobile toy
Teddy Bear
Some Woody Click toys, similar to Brio


I also got the Mary's Chocolate shop fukubukuro as it is the only one I can find with not much biscuit and a lot of chocolate in. :)