When I first heard of the Fuku Otoko, or Lucky Man Run, at Nishinomiya Shrine in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

I watched videos of previous runs, where people were sprinting down a steep course, bashing through the shrine doors with all their might.

At 230 meters, it’s a quick and chaotic race where the top three finishers are crowned “lucky men” and are given prizes, including sacks of rice and barrels of sake.

The run, which is part of the shrine’s annual Toka Ebisu festival in early January, accepts only 1,500 participants, which are chosen by a lottery system. To enter, you must arrive before the crack of dawn at the venue and line up and wait to draw for the lottery. Basically, you need luck just to get in the Lucky Man Run.

Feeling lucky, I planned a trip to Kobe in Hyogo in hopes of being crowned one of the Fuku Otoko of 2025 at the Jan. 10 event.

I had read up on the Lucky Man Run and knew that although the lottery began at midnight, people would start lining up hours before. But before shivering with a frozen smile in line for hours for the chance to draw a stick that hopefully had a paint mark on it, we stopped to enjoy the Toka Ebisu festivities.

It was here where I witnessed the most horrifying scene of all: parking! At a frightening 500 yen per 30 minutes, parking in the area is not recommended. Unless you’re made of money, try public transportation.

The festival itself was fun and featured plenty of food stands and other activities like cork-shooting and darts that are inexpensive. Just make sure you bring yen because most stands don’t accept electronic payment.

At the suggestion of my fiancée, I tried the oval-shaped castella cakes, which are only sold in the wintertime. For 1,000 yen, I was given 30 small cakes. They were like a donut hole, only tastier and served fresh and warm.

To warm me up, I also had kasujiru sake leek soup, which usually comes with pork or salmon and sake powder. I’m not a drinker; however, I did love the hint of sake in the hearty soup.

Inside the shrine and surrounded by a crowd, I found one of the stars: a giant tuna covered in money. They dedicated this enormous fish to Ebisu, the god of the shrine. Visitors placed coins on the dead fish and wished for good luck. Made sense to me.

After I placed my coin on the dead fish, I headed to the lottery line confident that Lady Luck was on my side. As for my lady, she hates the cold and headed back to her apartment to warm up.

I knew it would be a long, frigid night, but I was ready. I joined the growing line around 8:30 p.m., and I was given a piece of paper with the rules of the race. I had to use my phone to translate it and fill out my details for the lottery. Too easy!

After that there was nothing to do but stand and wait. And shiver. I highly recommend dressing warmly and using the restroom before getting in line, as you will lose your spot if you leave the line.

Every minute dragged on as the clock ticked closer to midnight. I was freezing in my thick jacket and warm pants, but I needed to stick it through to get the stick and test my luck. At midnight the line started to move, but I still had to wait at the entrance for about 50 minutes.

How the lottery worked, to my surprise, was not first-come, first-serve. Each person picks a stick out of a small wooden box. If you pick one with a paint mark, then you’re given a spot in the race.

Soon, it was my turn to see if I’d get a lucky stick. I picked one and showed the person at the desk, who then gave me back my form and pointed me to the exit. I would not be Lucky Man 2025 after all. But I did leave with a smile because my face was frozen stiff.

Though I wouldn’t be able to do the run for prizes, a fun run minutes after the official one was open to public. I got back to the apartment at 2 a.m., and I set my alarm so I could participate in the fun run. I was looking forward to it!

When I woke up exhausted after a night of standing in the cold, it was a harsh reality to find out that my luck hadn’t changed a bit. I overslept. There would be no fun run for me.

I made it back to the shrine in time to see the three Lucky Men showing off their rice and sake prizes. Though I missed out on the run, I was lucky enough to make it home safe and uninjured. The Lucky Man Run course is slick with sharp turns. Runners risk falling and getting trampled by others, so it can be dangerous.

I will try my luck again next year. Only next time, I’ll be prepared with gloves, warmer clothes and maybe a lucky rabbit foot to give me a boost. And I’ll make sure I don’t oversleep!

Address: 1-17 Shakecho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-0974

*Parking is available nearby but at a high cost.

Peanuts Café cuteness

Before the event, my fiancée and I had time to explore Kobe. I’d been eyeing the Peanuts Café online and made reservations for dinner.

Like me, Peanuts’ creator Charles M. Schulz was in the Army. He served during World War II in Europe before becoming known for his cartoons and comics. A visit to the café was an opportunity to reflect on Schulz’s post-military career.

Unfortunately, I had mistakenly made a reservation for the Peanuts Café’s Osaka location not its Kobe one. I had to wonder if this stroke of bad luck was a sign of what was ahead.

Although we couldn’t sit down for a full meal, the staff was able to accommodate us in the café with a light snack and drinks. As we munched on a big chocolate chip cookie and sipped on lemonade and tea, we enjoyed checking out all the memorabilia and comic strips that adorned the interior of the café.

The place was adorable and of course sold Peanuts-themed sweets and souvenirs. The café is a must if you’re a fan of Snoopy comics and animated shorts. Just make sure you book the right location!

• Address: Kobe location – 1-22-26 Nakayamate, Chuo-Ku, Kobe 650-0004

• Hours: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Mon.- Sun.

• Website

*There is no parking available at the café, but there are paid parking lots nearby.

*Credit cards are accepted.

Sugar rush at Chocolate Republic

After our Snoopy adventure, we tested our luck and tried to reserve two last-minute seats at Ahiru Yakitori, which had good reviews online, for later in the evening.

As we waited for a call from Ahiru Yakitori, we stopped at Chocolate Republic, a patisserie serving cakes and pastries in the heart of Kanocho District.

The décor of Chocolate Republic was inviting, and though the menu was small, we still had plenty of options to choose from.

I went with the Kobe Fresh Cheese Mont Blanc and my fiancée chose the seasonal Strawberry Tart Cake. We were delighted when our desserts were served quickly and looked exactly like the photos on the menu. We both felt lucky.

Though the Mont Blanc chestnut cake wasn’t my favorite as it was a bit plain, my fiancée’s tart was incredible. The soft cake and sweet berries were delicious. After a couple bites of her dessert, I had instant regret for my cake selection. So much for luck.

As I wallowed in my choice of cake, I enjoyed some people watching. Kobe is a very calm city compared to Osaka and Central Tokyo, which is what I like.

As we were getting ready to head back to the apartment, we got a call that our seats at Ahiru Yakitori were ready and available. I was once again feeling like I might be a Lucky Man after all.

• Address: 4-8-7 Kanocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0001

• Hours: 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sun.

• Website

*Parking is not available here.

*No reservation needed. Payment is accepted with card and yen.

Get ducky at Ahiru Yakitori

We struggled a bit to find Ahiru Yakitori since it’s nestled in alleyways teeming with bars, restaurants and small host clubs. We didn’t need luck, just GPS.

When we entered, we were surprised to see a collection of rubber ducks displayed all around the restaurant interior. Once seated, we found a handwritten note on our table thanking us for our visit, a heartwarming gesture that truly made us feel at home right away.

The menu was in Japanese with no photos and though using Google Translate was difficult, we figured it out.

There were many things I loved about this restaurant, including that everything we ordered was amazing. Our server had great recommendations, and the customer service was excellent.

Our first dish was daikon Japanese radish soup, perfect for a chilly night. Next, we were served chicken sashimi. Raw chicken might sound dangerous, but in Japan, it is a delicacy when served the proper way.

The flavor of chicken is deep even when it’s not cooked. We were told to eat it as quickly as possible to maintain its freshness. Sounded like solid advice.

Since the portions were not large, we also ordered a baked potato, which came loaded with cheese, and an avocado salad that reminded me of Hispanic cuisine.

Since we were in Kobe, we also ordered some wagyu beef sticks. They arrived cooked to perfection with a little salt on the side. It was delectable and I devoured every delicious morsel.

Still hungry, we then ordered oyakodon, a rice bowl topped with eggs and chicken thigh (it was cooked) mixed with dashi broth. This is one of my favorite Japanese dishes and it never fails to satisfy, no matter where I order it.

After our meal, the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Mino, came over and chatted with us. Like my fiancée and I, the husband has tattoos, so he was quick to recommend Kinosaki City as a great place to enjoy onsen hot baths since they allow inked visitors.

We enjoyed our conversation with the owners and felt right at home as the clock ticked by. Soon it was time to go and we paid our bill of 9,310 yen, which we thought was a good deal for two.

We loved it so much that we even made sure to go back on the last night after the run. We ordered more wagyu, and the owners even gifted us our own little rubber ducky to take home. In case you are wondering what the deal is with ducks, it’s quite simple: Mrs. Mino really loves ducks. As for her husband, he just loves being by her side.

To make a reservation, you can use the Auto Reserve phone app available on both IOS and Android. If you speak Japanese, calling is better.

• Address: 1-4-21-2 Nakayamatedori, Chuo, Kobe 650-0001 2F

• Hours: Closed Sundays, Mon., - Sat., 6 p.m. - 12 a.m.

• Tel: 078-333-6979

*There is no free parking available here.

*Payment- Card and yen work here.

New Munchen

Before heading to Nishinonimiya Shrine to line up for the lottery, we had some time to explore Sannomiyacho City on Day 2 of my trip to Kobe.

While walking around, a unique building caught our attention. We soon discovered it was home to New Munchen, a German restaurant.

I have never been to Germany, but I’ve seen many movies where pubs and buildings look just like this restaurant. It was cold, so we decided to go inside and eat a small, light snack.

The menu wasn’t large and it was in Japanese, but easy to translate with an app. We ended up ordering a medium-sized serving of fried chicken and a simple pizza.

Not expecting much, we were pleasantly surprised by our selections. The fried chicken wasn’t oily and had a fluffy texture. The pizza was decent, but a little lacking in the flavor department.

All in all, the atmosphere of the restaurant was unique and it almost didn’t feel like we were in Japan. The food and customer service were good. For a random find, especially in the cold winters of Kobe, we were not disappointed.

Being German, the restaurant also serves a variety of beer, of course. If you’re looking for a taste of Bavaria while in Kobe, check this place out.

• Address: 2-15-18 Sannomiyacho, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0021

• Hours: Sat., - Sun., Noon – 10 p.m., Mon., - Fri., 2 p.m. - 10 p.m.

• Website

Payment: card and yen are accepted here.

*No parking available.

‘Sake City’

On my last day in Kobe, I wanted to grab some ice cream before the flight back to Tokyo. I didn’t want any ordinary soft serve. I was looking for a sake soft serve, so I headed to an area locals call “Sake City.”

The neighborhood is home to many breweries and pubs serving the Japanese spirit, but Sekijuan is the only shop in the area selling this unique frozen treat.

The small shop sells a variety of sake products and snacks, too. I recommend their avocado treats, which pair great with sake and IPA beer. You can even buy sake-based beauty products like face wash and body soap, that is if you want to risk smelling like sake if you’re pulled over by police.

I ordered a cone of their sake soft serve for 486 yen. It tasted like creamy sake. This frozen concoction even paired well with the avocado crackers!

It was a refreshing treat after a long couple of days of trying out my luck. If you’re in the area, don’t miss this interesting flavor of ice cream!

• Address: 3-3 imazudezaikecho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8227

• Hours: Closed Wed., Thurs., - Tues., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

• Website

*Yen and credit cards are accepted

*Free parking behind the store.

related stories

• MY FAVES: Night views in Japan
• Cherry blossom fever: Japanese recipes
• Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai: Your gateway to exploring western Japan’s hidden gems