FukuBookLoan (Lucky Bags) 2026 @ JFT Library
January 31st, 2026 @ 11:30 am - 4:30 pm EST
An event every week that begins at 11:30 am on Tuesday, repeating until January 27th, 2026
An event every week that begins at 11:30 am on Thursday, repeating indefinitely
An event every week that begins at 11:30 am on Saturday, repeating until January 31st, 2026
Details »
New Year, New Routine? Ring in 2026 with our program inspired by Japan’s beloved New Year tradition “Fukubukuro” (福袋), or lucky bag!
Starting Tuesday, January 6th, 2026, JFT Library Card holders can grab a FukuBookLoan lucky bag, containing a secret selection of books and/or audiovisual materials to borrow from the Library. Enjoy serendipitous discovery from a curated selection of novels, manga, DVD/BR, and more books about Japan or by Japanese authors! You might discover your new favourite authors, amazing film titles, and intriguing topics that you never knew existed!
Fukubukuro (福袋, “lucky bag”) is a Japanese New Year custom where people buy mysterious sealed bags that are sold for a set price during the New Year period. Many shops, businesses and department stores take part in this tradition and the sales begin on the first business day of the New Year. They typically contain products centred around a specific theme. Usually, the bags are sold at a substantial discount and much less expensive than if you were to buy each item in the bag separately. The Fukubukuro is a very popular, thrilling and highly anticipated event and people often even line up for hours to get the bags. The term “fuku” (福) means “good fortune” or “luck”, and “fukuro” (袋) – conjugated into “bukuro” – means “bag”. *The items in the JFT Library’s FukuBookLoan bags are for borrowing only, and not for sales or giveaways. You must check them out at the library counter and return them to the Library by the due date. *Please note the FukuBookLoan event ends when all bags are gone or on Saturday, January 31st, 2026 at 4:30 pm (whichever is faster). 1. Get or renew JFT Library Card 2. Select a theme tag and pick up a FukuBookLoan bag with the corresponding theme at the Library Counter 3. Enjoy serendipitous discovery & share your thoughts! 4. Return the items by the due date If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. New members are always welcome!What is Fukubukuro (福袋)?
How to participate in the FukuBookLoan event
・You need to have a valid JFT Library card (free of charge) to receive a FukuBookLoan lucky bag.
・To apply for a new library card or renew your expired card, please fill in our Library Card Application Form online and show your photo ID along with proof of address at the Library counter. Please note the library card is valid for one year and needs to be renewed with a valid ID.
・Visit the JFT Library during the Library’s opening hours in January
・Pick up a bag theme from the FukuBookLoan rack. *One bag maximum per library cardholder
・Bring the note to the library counter. Staff will grab a bag from the storage and proceed with the checkouts.
・Each bag contains 3 to 4 items. Please note those items will be counted toward the maximum number of items that can be checked out from the Library, which is 15 total items (a 5-item limit for periodicals and audiovisual materials).
・Take the FukuBookLoan bag home and enjoy discovering what’s inside!
・If you are an active social media user, feel free to post about the items in the bag and the FukuBookLoan experience using the hashtag #JFTLibrary
・ The items in the bag are for loan and must be returned to the Library within a 3-week loan period (may be renewed once for another 3 weeks if there are no holds pending).
