The Least Useful Guide to Fukuoka

Yesterday, our local professional baseball team Fukuoka Softbank Hawks won the league title—which means we would have “Congratulations on your victory” special offers mainly at retailers including supermarkets and department stores.

Needless to say, I was one of who rush to stores in hope of finding a bargain or two. In front of a department store, about to open,  there were long queues of people clutching sale fliers.

Lion statues were dressed in the team’s T-shirt

and cap. The “Victory Sale” signboard was everywhere and the team’s theme was ringing everywhere.

It is impossible not to expect a good deal or two, or three, don’t you think so?

But the reality is always hard and tough. I found nothing worth their price tag. Actually there were some “special offers,” but they were apparently unattractive—“I wouldn’t get it even if it was free” types. So not many people paid attention to them even though it was only 30 minutes after the store opened.   I realised what I have seen on TV, people rushing and scrabbling for a bargain, was edited in a rather manipulative manner.

Only the food floors had a bit of crowd purchasing “special packs” containing seemingly souvenir-perfect, long-life sweets at around JPY 1000. If I were a tourist and happened to come across such an event, I got very excited and thought it would certainly be a good chance to find something to bring back to my country. But I am a semi-native Fukuokan living in this place for quite a while.  I think I can consider things more rationally when it comes to “Hawks victory sales” than animated tourists.

Very disappointed with department stores, I then went to former Daiei (now aeon), which formerly owned the baseball team and known for its generous discounts at victory sales…only to be more let down. I had expected at least 20% discount on everything excluding food items, but it offered only 10% on underwear and clothing that looked unnecessary for my life. You can expect 20 % discount on the same items at Nishitetsu Sotre’s occasional “Sunday Specutaclar.” The price might vary at other former Daieis, though.

I began to wonder whether they were seriously seeing this sale as a chance to boost their sales. Merely setting up signboards would damage the stores’ reputation among the local, rather than attracting customers. Or, maybe they are now in more favour of foreign tourists who spend more generously in a short space of time rather than fussy and stingy “native” shoppers. Sorry, I have a rather complicate feeling toward them (Did you feel the same when we terrorised your cities in the 80s with then-almighty Japanese money?).

Am I too optimistic thinking there may be a better chance when the Nippon Series finishes in the end of October, namely either “Congratulations!” or “Well Done!” sale?