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Sacrificing bears for amazing hotpots with Kuma-chan Onsen’s fukubukuro lucky bag

Elliot Hale Jan 2, 2025
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Hearts cry and mouths water as this cute little bear disappears into the broth forever.

Hotpot is a beloved winter tradition in Japan: an abundant amount of delicious ingredients, full of warmth. It’s such a popular dish that every region has its own favorite variety, and looking at the list of them is sure to set you on a quest to eat them all. For those people who prefer enjoying delicacies at home, or don’t enjoy the process of selecting ingredients to throw in, there are a plethora of hotpot sets available to enjoy, one of which will no doubt be the perfect hotpot for you.

▼ I’m already salivating.

Our Japanese-language reporter Udonko was once a person who was neither here nor there when it came to hotpot sets; there was nothing that really stood out to her as a must-eat. That was until she stumbled across a certain lucky bag, and then everything changed. It was so adorable that not trying it was simply not an option!

The lucky bag in question was called the Hokkaido Menkoi Nabe Kuma-chan Onsen Happy Bag 2025.

Let’s first take a quick look at that name. Long-time readers will recall that we once covered a solo hotpot restaurant with the same name, which allows diners to dissolve their cute bear mascot Kuma-chan into a flavorful broth. This lucky bag comes from that same company.

▼ Will Udonko’s desire to eat prevail or will she give up in the face of Kuma-chan’s cuteness?

The dilemma to melt the bear or not would have to wait, though, as she explored the rest of the package. There were actually two bear-shaped soup bases.

▼ White dashi soy sauce (left) and miso (right)

As well as thinly sliced beef thigh from the premium brand Tokachi Herb Beef, straight from Hokkaido.

It also included a honey-lemon dipping sauce.

For non-edibles, there was one random acrylic keychain, out of a possibl four designs, a cute paper apron, and a wet wipe (although Udonko forgot to take a picture of it).

The soup bases have a shelf life of six days from the shipping date, but it’s recommended to consume them within two days for maximum freshness. Now come, Kuma-chan! The time of your reckoning is here!

First, adding water to the pot, Udonko gently lowered the larger Kuma-chan into it, enjoying how soft and jiggly it was.

▼ “Is it time for my bath?”

She then buried Kuma-chan with ingredients. Unfortunately, while some hotpot sets provide all of the ingredients, this one didn’t include anything beyond the beef, so she had to prepare vegetables, tofu, and the rest of the ingredients herself.

▼ “This is really comfortable!”

With everything set, and Kuma-chan looking adorably cozy in its edible bath, Udonko turned on the heat.

▼ “Wait! What?”

As the water started simmering, Kuma-chan…

▼ “Why would you do this?”

Slowly started to sink…

▼ “I just wanted to be your friend…”

▼ K-Kuma-chaaan!

By the time Kuma-chan fully dissolved, the hotpot was ready; looking delicious and smelling amazing.

Thank you, Kuma-chan. You won’t be forgotten…

Dipping the food into the honey-lemon sauce, Udonko’s thoughts turned to the memory of Kuma-chan’s valiant figure and noble sacrifice.

The beef was exquisite, incredibly tender, despite being thoroughly cooked. Each bite released a mellow richness, enhanced by the tangy sweetness of the sauce. Combining it with the perfectly boiled vegetables, it warmed Udonko from the inside out.

After enjoying the flavors for a while, it was time to bring out the smaller Kuma-chan.

▼ “Don’t eat me! Please!”

The little version was made from miso soup, so adding it into the hotpot transformed the dish into a completely different experience, even though the ingredients were the same.

▼ “Please! I’ll do anything! Anything but the hot water!”

The second Kuma-chan prevented Udonko from getting bored of the flavors until the very end.

The Kuma-chan Onsen lucky bag is not just a meal, it is a wonderful experience, combining tender Hokkaido beef with an amusing cooking process. The lucky bag cost 5,000 yen (US$31.79) and was being sold on Rakuten and LINE Gift. Unfortunately, they are currently sold out. So, you may have to wait until next year to get your hands on a lucky bag.

In the meantime, their online store offers a great range of products for you to enjoy at home (link below). Or if you are fortunate enough to be in the neighborhood, you should swing by one of their stores to be overloaded with cuteness and delicious hotpots. Hokkaido Menkoi nabe: Kuma-chan Onsen now has locations in Sapporo, Shibuya, Hiroshima, and Kagoshima, and even internationally in Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, and Jakarta.

Maybe if you’re feeling enchanted by edible bears, but hotpots are not quite doing it for you, you might enjoy the new Sushi Bears restaurant in Tokyo for an equally cute dining experience.

Related: Kuma-chan Onsen Online Store, Rakuten, LINE Gift
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