Postcard Lottery 2016

New Years is the biggest holiday in Japan.  There are many traditions…one of which is sending 年賀状 (New Years Postcards) to friends and relatives.  A bit like Christmas cards in western countries.

One the back of “official” Japanese New Years postcards (which are the only kind that anyone sends) is a six-digit serial number.

Every year on January 15th, the Japanese post office chooses random numbers as winners in the お年玉 (New Years postcard lottery).

People who have postcards with winning numbers win nice prizes.

(Click here to read a post I’ve written about this before.)

Here are the winning numbers for the 2016 New Years postcard lottery:

2016 New Years postcard lottery winning numbers

★　First place – cards with the number 667085 – the prize is ¥100,000 (approx. US$1,000).

★　Second place – cards with the last four digits of the number being  9648 – the prize is one of several wonderful things such as an onsen (hot spring) stay, a TV, a computer, Nintendo DS, etc.

★　Third place – cards with the last two digits of the number being either 69 or 90 – the prize is commemorative “Year of the Monkey” postage stamps.

 

2012 New Years Postcard Lottery

As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, including last year, Japan’s 年賀状 (New Year Postcards) that are mailed in Japan to friends and family every New Years season have a six-digit number in the lower right-hand corner on the back.

And every January, the Japan Post Office draws random numbers for the New Years Postcard Lottery. People who have cards (from the current year) with a matching number win prizes.
Every year the prizes are basically the same…but they’re very nice prizes.

This year’s (2012) winning numbers were drawn today.
The winning numbers are:

● First Place Prize: 030625 (Odds of winning: 1 in one-million)
Choice of prize includes: a 40″ Sharp TV, Canon printer, Toshiba computer, overseas or domestic (Japan) trips.

● Second Place Prize: 071658, 153787, or 675457  (Odds of winning: 3 in one-million)
Choice of prize includes: a Canon digital camera, X-Box, domestic (Japan) hotel stay, or a folding bicycle (with “no-flat tires“).

Foldable bicycle

● Third Place Prize: cards with the last-four digits being 2511 (Odds of winning: 1 in 10,000)
Choice of prize: One of many wonderful food items such as cookies, cakes, tea, curry, etc.

● Fourth Place Prize: cards with the last-two digits being 27 or 44 (Odds of winning: 2 in 100)
Prize (no choice): A set of two commemorative “Year of the Dragon” postage stamps.

2012 "Year of the Dragon" postage stamps

Once again, I won a few sets of the stamps but none of the “big” prizes. Well, there’s always next year.

How about you?
Are you in Japan? Did you win any of these prizes?
If you live in another country…does your post office have a similar lottery?

(By the way, it’s snowing in Tokyo right now. The first snow of this winter for Tokyo. It normally snows two or three times each winter in this city.)