A department store in Yokohama, near Tokyo, opened for the New Year on Friday, drawing crowds of shoppers seeking bargain packages known as “lucky bags.”
At Sogo Yokohama, many people lined up before the store opened at 9 a.m. Hoof-shaped sweets were handed out at the entrance, as the horse is the Chinese zodiac sign for 2026.
The department store says it is offering many lucky bags filled with essential daily items, such as clothing and food, as consumers remain cost-conscious amid rising prices. It has also increased the number of lucky bags by about 30 percent from last year.
A man in his 40s who visited the store with his 10-year-old child bought a bag of children’s clothing. He said it was helpful because the cost of clothes is high.
Many department store operators chose to keep their stores closed on New Year’s Day this year, citing labor shortages and other factors.
The manager of Sogo Yokohama said the store also took employees’ working arrangements into consideration and gave them New Year’s Day off.
The manager added that while people continue to be careful about spending, they also want to treat themselves during the New Year holidays. He said the store has prepared a range of products to meet these different shopping needs.