CoCo Ichibanya's 2025 lucky bag is practically free

A popular New Year’s tradition in Japan are Fukubukuro or ‘lucky/happy bags’.

These bags provide consumers with a unique opportunity to purchase a variety of goods from a particular brand or store at a discounted price and often include exclusive items not normally available to customers.

CoCo Ichibanya, Japan’s largest chain of curry houses, have announced the contents of their 2025 lucky bag as well as details of how customers can get their hands on them.

2025 CoCo Ichibanya Lucky Bag Contents — 2025 CoCo Ichibanya Happy Bag Contents

The 2025 lucky bag is similar to those released by CoCo Ichibanya over the last few years and the first item included in the lucky bag is the bag itself.

CoCo Ichibanya lucky bags from previous years have designed by the Oaksleaf brand of Japanese fashion company Onward and the 2025 bag is no different.

This years design features a number of pockets allowing for more convenient and practical storage than previous bags did.

The second item included in the lucky bag is a versatile zip pouch made from cushioned material.

These types of pouch are popular in Japan and are often used as alternatives to purses, wallets or phone cases.

The third item included is a pack of instant pork curry.

Previous years have seen CoCo Ichibanya include 2-3 packs of instant curry, often with a theme such as New Year “red and white” themed curry or beef curry to celebrate the Year of the Ox.

CoCo Ichibanya Instant Pork Curry — 2025’s Instant Pork Curry and 2019’s Red and White Happy Curry

CoCo Ichibanya Red and White Happy Curry — 2025’s Instant Pork Curry and 2019’s Red and White Happy Curry

Whilst the instant curry offering may be a little lacking this year, the lucky bag also includes several 500 yen (approx $3.30 USD/£2.60 GBP) vouchers which can be redeemed on both in restaurant meals and take out meals.

A typical meal of chicken or pork katsu (cutlet), rice and curry at CoCo Ichibanya comes in under 1,000 yen (approx $6.61 USD/£5.17 GBP) so each voucher represents a significant saving on a single meal.

CoCo Ichibanya Happy Bag 2024 contents — CoCo Ichibanya Pork Katsu (Cutlet) Curry – 998 yen

Anyone disappointed by the decrease in the amount of instant curry included should be made happier by the fact that this year sees a 25% increase in the amount of vouchers included with the 2025 lucky bag.

The 2025 CoCo Ichibanya lucky bag includes a total of 2,500 yen worth of meal vouchers compared to the 2,000 yen offered last year.

While previous years have seen the meal vouchers expire between March and April, this years vouchers are valid between 1st January and 31st May.

Each lucky bag is priced at 2,500 yen (approx $24.06 USD/£18.89 GBP) and can be only be purchased in person at CoCo Ichibanya restaurants.

Curry fans wanting to grab one of these lucky bags will have 2 chances, as CoCo Ichibanya will be offering them for sale from their restaurants in two waves.

The first wave will be available between 26th December 2024 and 31st December 2024 while the second wave will be sold from 2nd January.

The 2024 CoCo Ichibanya lucky bag featured a smaller Oaksleaf Onward tote bag, an instant curry themed zip pouch, a notepad and themed tape, as well as 1 pack of instant pork curry and 2,000 yen worth of meal vouchers.

While this years lucky bag includes less items overall, it is still great value as the cost is fully returned through the included meal vouchers.

If you’re already planning to eat at CoCo Ichibanya 5 times before the end of May, which only works out to once per month, then the lucky bag works out to be essentially free.