When you think of a local convenience store that has completely captured the hearts of Hokkaido residents, Seicomart, affectionately known as Secoma, comes to mind. A casual receipt from Secoma during the New Year's holiday has become a hot topic on social media for a playful zodiac-themed surprise hidden within!

What the poster noticed was a "classy touch" hidden on the receipt. The characters for "辰" (tatsu, the Dragon), the zodiac animal for 2024, and "巳" (mi, the Snake), the zodiac for 2025, are subtly drawn within the Secoma logo. Furthermore, the Dragon receipt included the message "Thank you for your patronage this year," while the Snake receipt said, "We look forward to serving you again this year," adding a perfect New Year's greeting.

As soon as the image of this receipt was posted on X, it garnered over 170,000 likes. In the comments, many users enjoyed Secoma's playful spirit, saying things like, "Secoma is amazing," "I didn't notice that!" "The beauty of such a small consideration is incredible," and "How cool of them to do something like this."

We spoke with the original poster, Rie Kimura, who told us that the "Dragon" receipt was from December 31st and the "Snake" receipt was from January 1st. You might find these hidden characters on your receipts, too.

Not the First Time! A History of Elaborate "Receipt Art"

Look at the letter 't' in Seicomart...

In fact, this isn't the first time Secoma has hidden a playful surprise in its receipts. During the 2024 Christmas season, Santa Claus appeared on the receipts, telling a story like a flip-book animation.

And just a year ago, for New Year's 2024, they featured a different one of the Seven Lucky Gods each day.

The Seven Lucky Gods appeared daily starting from New Year's Day (Source: @dannna_menkoi's post)

Secoma's Playfulness is Sure to Win Even More Fans!

While supporting the daily lives of people across Hokkaido, Secoma also brings smiles to its customers' faces with a little bit of playfulness. These classy touches that warm the heart are sure to continue attracting many more fans.