Roppongi Hills will be kicking off the New Year’s celebrations from January 1 to 3, 2020 with New Year's good fortune around every corner. 

January 1 will be filled with exciting lion dances and Japanese drum performances. January 2 and 3 will see traditional and nostalgic games that are free to play, providing fun for the whole family.    Restaurants and cafés will be serving New Year’s food themed around good fortune, happiness, good omens and new beginnings. Indulge on Spiny Lobster, fatty tuna, sea bream and many other luxurious “good fortune” foods.

Spiny Lobster and Sea Bream Acqua Pazza (Limit of 15 sold per day): ¥3,278

Mohri Salvatore Cuomo

Colourful Chirashizushi Pintokona (Limit of 10 sold per day): ¥2,020

Angus Beef Steak Burger (Limit of 15 sold per day): ¥2,800 AS Classics Diner

Crêpe 2020 (Limit of 10 sold per day): ¥980 Cafe Crepe

There are also New Year’s “Fukubukuro” to look out for. This is a Japanese New Year’s custom where “lucky bags” are filled with unknown contents and sold at a substantial discount. There are even January sales with items up to 70% off. Travel agency H.I.S. Co., Ltd. is bringing back their yearly dream holiday package which includes a top-quality resort lodge in the Savanna and safari experience for just ¥4 million.   Have a wonderful New Year’s celebration at Roppongi Hills.

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Fukubukuro, or “lucky bags,” are a Japanese New Year custom sold by many shops across the country. The contents of the bags is always unknown but they are sold at a discounted price. It’s exciting and a great chance to get your hands on a whole range of goodies for a bargain. We have compiled a list of recommended fukubukuro for you to check out. Tobu Department Store, Ikebukuro – Fukubukuro The Ikebukuro branch of Tobu Department Store is selling close to 57,000 fukubukuro. The keywords for their 2019 lucky bags are “Heisei” (which refers to the current era of Japan), “Food,” and “Dual Wield.” Below are just a couple of fukubukuro you can get your hands on.   Kinokuniya is a fairly new store having opened in September 2017. They are just one fukubukuro aimed at those born during the Heisei period (1989-2019). But this is no ordinary lucky bag. You can receive a select number of items depending on your age from the store’s stock of 3,500 products that prices up to ¥39,000. This includes glossaries, everyday foods and more. For example, if you’re 30-years-old and were born during the Heisei period you will receive 30 items. *1 bag per person *Products included are those originally priced at ¥4,000 (including tax) and below. Application Period: December 26, 2018 – January 3, 2019 How to Buy: You must sign up at the store for a chance to win one. Winners will be contacted via telephone on January 4, 2019. Pick-Up Period: January 17, 2019 – January 23, 2019 *A separate fee will be charged for those who request delivery.   Another fukubukuro is the one at Pan Rizotta. Once again, you will receive a range of pastries from the store’s line-up of 120 items depending on your age. They cost ¥3,100 and there are 5 available.   Application Period: December 26, 2018 – January 3, 2019 How to Buy: You must sign up at the store for a chance to win one. Winners will be contacted via telephone on January 4, 2019. Pick-Up Period: January 6, 2019 – January 10, 2019 (*takeaway only)     PAPABUBBLE – Limited Edition Fukubukuro For a limited time only the art candy shop PAPABUBBLE is now selling three different sized fukubukuro for the New Year. The small bag is filled with the shop’s classic confections, the medium with unreleased flavours, and the large with a bunch of rare items. Running: At all branches of PAPABUBBLE until they sell out Price: Small ¥1,500 / Medium ¥3,000 / Large ¥5,000 Don’t forget to check out their New Year candy mix which features pig designs for the 2019 Year of the Pig.     Village Vanguard Online – Cheki Fukubukuro Village Vanguard is selling must-get fukubukuro featuring a set of 7 instax items including the camera, films, an album and more. For girls they are offering the “Kawaii Cheki Fukubukuro” which contains cute pastel colour cameras a rare Minion camera. For guys they are selling the “Otona Cheki Fukubkuro” with various sleek designs. Select bags contain the Suguremono Smartphone de Cheki which enables you to print your photos from your smartphone, and the Neo Classic camera. These fukubukuro are very limited in stock so you’ll want to be quick!     Brooks – Overseas Fukubukuro Online tea and coffee shop Brooks is now taking fukbukuro orders to celebrate its 50^th anniversary. In line with this, they are also now selling them to 50 countries around the world. Their bags include popular brand drip coffee, tea and more. 2019 Fukubukuro: ¥5,400 (Tax Included) *Free Shipping2019 Premium Fukubukuro: ¥10,800 (Tax Included) *Free Shipping The overseas-only fukubukuro contains products from high quality brands, popular drip coffee, sencha sold only in Japan, genmaicha and more. Additionally, the first set of 100 sold will contain a special Onenga Coffee bag for a taste of Japanese New Year. Overseas Fukubukuro Running: December 18, 2018 – January 31, 2019 Price: ¥5,000 (*Free shipping. However, fees may apply depending on shipping laws in certain countries.)     Mister Donut – 2019 Fukubukuro Mister Donut has teamed up with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! for their fukubukuro. Items include blankets, clear files, mini tote bags, accessories and a calendar all featuring chubby designs of Pikachu and Eevee surrounded by delicious doughnuts. The fukubukuro line-up includes the two standard ¥1,080 and ¥2,160 bags as well as a new ¥3,240 version. These will no longer be available once they sell out so don’t miss out!     LOFT Shibuya & Ginza – “Thank You Heisei Fukubukuro Series” LOFT Shibuya will resume business on New Year’s Day and LOFT Ginza on January 2^nd. To celebrate, lots and lots of amazing lucky bags containing hit products from the variety store will be sold. Below is just a small example of what to expect. Thank You Heisei Fukubukuro: Omotenashi Japanese Food (Sake Bottle, Sake Cup, Bowl, Small Bowl, Chopsticks and more) *5 Available (Shibuya LOFT) Thank You Heisei Fukubukuro: Boom! Panda Panda Panda Blessing (Plushie Calendar, Standing Pencil Case, Cable Biter, and more) *3 Available (Ginza LOFT)     Did you enjoy this list? If you’re in Japan for the new year then you absolutely have to get your hands on a fukubukuro!

With the New Year almost upon us, lots of restaurants are prepping 'osechi'―food served during the New Year's Holidays.   Over at Daimaru Tokyo they have 25 different osechi ready to serve from 20 brands which can be bought from 10:00am to 6:00pm on December 31. Here are 5 you can expect to be sinking your teeth into.

Rakushougatsu (Serves 2) @ Nadaman Chubo - ¥12,960

This long-standing restaurant is cooking up a very traditional meal. Indulge in New Year's classics like sweet rolled omelette, black soybeans and herring roe. Added to this is roast beef.  

Edo no Niji (Serves 2-3) @ Kanda Myojinshita Miyabi - ¥15,660

Enjoy the flavours of Edo with this dish that both looks and tastes delicious. It comes in three mini boxes portioned very cutely!  

Wafuu Osechi Ichidan'e (Serves 1-2) @ Minokichi - ¥14,040

Minokichi has created this delicate arrangement of party snacks, fried food, vegetables and more.  

Gyutan Otsumami Osechi (Serves 2-3) @ Gyutan Kanezaki - ¥16,200

From classic osechi picks to otsumami―snacks that go with alcohol―this one has it all.

Gindara Nishikyou Yaki Osechi Wafuu Nidan'e (Serves 2-3) @ Aji no Hamato Tsukiji - ¥21,600

The ultimate celebratory selection consisting of Japanese bluefish, fried food, boiled food and more.   There's plenty of great osechi to be enjoyed in Japan for the New Year so don't miss out.

Onenga are an important part of the New Year holidays in Japan. They are gifts given when looking back over the past year with a person and are usually handed over with the phrase kotoshi mo douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu which thanks the person for their support over the past year and into the next.   The Daimaru Tokyo department store is selling a whole range of confections based on the 2019 "Year of the Pig" from December 26 to January 3 which will make for perfect New Year gifts. Not only can they be used as onenga but as souvenirs for anyone visiting Japan during the New Year season.

Pig Shaped Monaka Bean Jam Wafer Cakes (Set of 12): ¥1,850 / Sold at Funabashiya

Both the wafer cake shell and the red bean paste are separate from each other which retains the freshly-made crunch. It's made in the cute shape of a pig which is unique for a monaka wafer cake.  

Pig Shaped Sweet Jelly: ¥918 / Sold at Ryoguchiya Korekiyo

This sweet jelly features a pig and piglet in it so adorable you'll want to take a photo. The light that filters through creates a beautiful scene of a pig and its child.  

2019 Mochi (Set of 6): ¥1,080 / Sold at Ginza Akebono

This assortment of sticky rice cakes comes with various designs including "2019," pine trees, pigs and more.

Small Sweet Jelly With Pig Packaging (Set of 12): ¥3,240 / Sold at Toraya

The artistry of a long-standing store shines through on the piggy packaging of these sweet jellies.  

Sweet Cigars (Set of 20): ¥1,458 / Sold at Yoku Moku

These are a hallmark product at Yoku Moku loved by men and women of all ages.

Shoufuku Tafuku (Set of 5): ¥864 / Sold at Akasaka Kakiyama

These mochi are cut thin, dried and baked before being put into cute boxes that feature illustrations of a pig dressed as a daruma.

Shichifukujin (Set of 7): ¥2,700 / Sold at Kanou Shoujuan

This set comes with a range of different confections inspired by the Seven Deities of Good Luck.   You're sure to find the perfect pick for a New Year's gift in this line-up!

2019 will mark the final year of Japan's Heisei period under Emperor Akihito. To toast to the final New Year celebrations of this era of history, Sanrio Puroland is holding a special event called The Final HEISEI Celebration which will run from December 26, 2018 to January 8, 2019.   Sanrio has much planned for the event. Its line-up of characters who were created during the Heisei period (1989-2019) will make appearances on a daily rota and there will be a chance to meet with each of them. Win Character Prizes Different characters born in the Heisei period such as Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Pochacco and more will appear on different days to hold a fun lottery event. Get involved and win prizes. Running: December 26, 2018 - January 8, 2019 (No Planned Holidays)Location: Wisdom Tree Stage (Floor 1F)    Meet Your Favourite Characters Wearing Kimono The Sanrio cast will appear throughout the event wearing traditional colourful Japanese garments. A special 'greeting' will also take place on New Year's Eve where all the most popular characters will come together. Running: December 26, 2018 - January 8, 2019Location: Around the park*There will be other characters appearing not dressed in kimono too.   New Year's Even Special GreetingDate: December 31, 2018Location Puro Village (Floor 1F) Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin & Pochacco Turn Into Pigs From January 1 through January 8 one of each character―Cinamoroll, Pompompurin and Pochaccoーwho are all dogs representing the 2018 Year of the Dog in the Chinese Zodiac will transform into a pig in line with the 2019 Year of the Pig. They will go around hugging guests in the park and let you take photos with them. Be sure to hug them tight! Running: January 1, 2019 - January 8, 2019Location: Wisdom Tree Stage (Floor 1F)    Observe the Character Cast On Stage For the first time ever Puroland is holding an event where guests can simply observe the Sanrio characters with no performance. They may even react to the audience's reactions and calls. Running: December 26, 2018 - January 8, 2019 (Expect December 29 and 31)Location: Discover Theater (Floor 1F)   Kagamimochi Cinnamoroll Fukubukuro Lucky-Dip Bags Puroland will sell fukubukuro lucky bags with a kagamimochi Cinnamoroll design on them who has a mikan orange on his head. The contents of the bags include Hello Kitty merchandise, a large photo of Cinamoroll and more. 150 bags will be available per day. Running: December 28, 2018 - January 3, 2019Location: Sanrio Town (Floor 1F)Price: ¥3,000Quantity: 150 available per day    Puroland End-Of-Year Countdown Puroland will hold "the world's earliest" countdown event. The island republic of Kiribati is known as the earliest place to pass into the new year. Puroland will join Kiribati in the celebrations. Date: December 31, 2018Time: 18:40-19:10 (JST)Location: Puro Village & Wisdom Tree Stage (Floor 1F)*PUROPASS tickets into the priority area will be sold for ¥500. Full details can be found on the park's homepage.    "New Year's Passport Coupon" - Official Puroland App Those who download the official Puroland app and present their QR code upon entering will receive a discount on their passport entry ticket. You do this as many times as you like for the duration of the event. Running: January 1, 2019 - January 8, 2019Passport Discount Price: ¥2,500 (for both adults and children)To receive the discount you must meet the following two conditions.①Download the official Puroland app②Present your QR code on the app at the ticket window upon entryApp Page:https://www.puroland.jp/app/ My Melody's Birthday Celebration To celebrate My Melody's birthday on January 18, guests who enter the park dressed in pink and white clothing inspired by My Melody will receive a special discount on their passport entry ticket. Running: December 26, 2018 - March 20, 2019Passport Discount Price: Weekdays & Holidays ¥2,500 (for both adults and children) / ¥1,500 from 2pm on weekdays and 3pm during holidays*Applies to children aged 3-17 years on holidays only.*A holiday constitutes as a weekend, national holiday or school holiday.To receive the discount you must meet the following two conditions.①Co-ordinate one piece of plain pink clothing and one piece of plain white clothing.②Present your QR code at the ticket window upon entryMore Details:https://www.puroland.jp/2019_mm-narikiri/   Enjoy a very special New Year's celebration this year at Sanrio Puroland!