Shūgi-bukuro
Shūgi-bukuro
Japanese special envelope containing money
A shūgi-bukuro (祝儀袋, lit. 'celebratory gift bag') is a special envelope in which money is given as a gift of celebration in Japan, especially at weddings or other auspicious occasions, such as a birth or celebrating a new home.[1][lower-alpha 1] The giver inserts the money into a shūgi-bukuro on which they have written their name, and the amount of money inside. In the case of weddings, the shūgi-bukuro is handed to the receptionist of the reception party; otherwise, the money is collected by the person themselves, with the envelopes acting as a record of who gave money and how much they gave.[1] Shūgi-bukuro are sold at supermarkets and stationery stores.
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Shūgi-bukuro are a category of kinpū (金封, envelope of money), the general term for an envelope of money given on a special occasion.[1] They are distinct from the category of envelopes of money given for funerals, known as fushūgibukuro or kōdenbukuro. Shūgi-bukuro were traditionally hand-made by the person giving the money, a practice that has now largely fallen out of fashion.[1] The envelopes are typically decorated with mizuhiki cord, with the colour of the cord having significance for the occasion, or, in the case of a funeral, the religious denomination of the giver.[2]