On New Year's Day, the annual "first sale" began at some department stores.
Of these, at the department store in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, a sales floor dedicated to lucky bags was set up to avoid congestion in the store as a countermeasure against infection with the new coronavirus.
Lucky bags were prepared by 14 food manufacturers, etc., and customers were buying them one after another as the store opened.
A male customer in his 40s said, "I came to the hatsuuri for the first time in two years. I spend a lot of time at home, so I want to eat lucky bag ham with my family."
The department store industry was hit hard last year by the spread of the new corona, but it means that the number of customers is returning.
At the time of the first sale, each company is also focusing on selling lucky bags via the Internet, and is expecting a recovery in sales this year.
Toshiki Kubota, the manager of Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store, said, "I think the difficult situation will continue, but I would like to take on new challenges with a view to the future, such as offering new products and remodeling the store." ..