The 2024 holiday campaign by CASETiFY, the global lifestyle brand that advocates for its customers to embrace their individuality with its customizable smartphone cases and tech accessories, has officially begun. Nagomi has been named an ambassador for this year’s CASETiFY Holiday Gift Guide.

The key message of the campaign is “You will definitely find the perfect gift for that special someone.” The Holiday Gift Guide features a selection of gifts selected by Nagomi either for yourself or a loved one at CASETiFY’s official online store and physical stores.

On December 14, Nagomi will hold at event at CASETiFY STUDIO Shibuya PARCO.

The popular female rock band BAND-MAID will perform for the first time at KNOTFEST JAPAN 2023, scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

KNOTFEST was begun by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, and the festival has been held yearly since 2012. BAND-MAID will perform on Day 1 along with headliners Slipknot, Trivium, and MAN WITH A MISSION.

Tickets for the May shows to be held in the United States as part of the BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR are none on sale. The group managed to bring in over 20,000 fans during their solo U.S. tour in 2022. In addition to performing at Pointfest 2023, Welcome to Rockville 2023, and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, BAND-MAID will also perform six solo shows. With some venues selling out instantly last year, you’ll want to snag tickets while you can!

A new commercial for Pokemon GO’s second ‘Let’s GO to the Hills’ campaign is now airing nationwide, calling on all players of the smartphone game to work up a sweat while exploring new scenery around Japan. Set in the Fukiya district of Takahashi, Okayama, the ad stars the popular actress Mitsuki Takahata. The ‘Let’s GO to the Hills’ campaign focuses on hills and slopes, and players might find some fun new Pokemon on their travels.

The new commercial began airing nationwide on January 20, and its setting–the Fukiya district of Takahashi, Okayama–has flourished since the Edo period as a leading copper and red ocher producer. Red ocher is a byproduct of copper production and is used in many traditional Japanese crafts, even called Japan Red by some.

Several popular Pokemon appear alongside Takahata in the ad, including Chimchar, Fletchling, Hisuian Voltorb, Nyabby, Darumaka, and Charizard. Be sure to listen out for Takahata’s Okayama accent!

From January 20 until July 19, a 4-meter-high real-world PokeStop will appear at the former Fukiya Elementary School in Fukiya Furusato Village. Yes, it will be linked to the game as well!

Curtains and tapestries featuring Pokemon silhouettes and dyed Japan Red will also appear in the village, and each will point the way to real PokeStops. While it might be a little off the beaten path, come enjoy Fukiya and see what kinds of Pokemon you can find!

©2023 Niantic, Inc.
©2023 Pokémon. ©1995-2023 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc.
ポケモン・Pokémon は任天堂・クリーチャーズ・ゲームフリークの登録商標です。

U-Treasure, a company offering proper jewelry inspired by pop culture, has announced a Pikachu engagement ring! The item was made available on December 13 and can hold large diamonds from 1-1.999 carats. Each ring features a male and female Pikachu, perfect for the Pokemon master in your life. Along with this, a silver version made from cubic zirconia featuring the same design is available to pre-order until January 31, 2023.

[Pokemon] Pikachu Carat Solitaire Ring

On December 9, Original Japan released 32 new patterns for the popular Pokemon Shirts line, this time from Pokemon Diamond & Pearl.

With the addition of these new designs, customers can choose from a total of 493 patterns. These patterns can also be used in masks and bandanas.

32 New Patterns from Pokemon Diamond & Pearl!

The new patterns were inspired by ‘Evolution and Legends.’ Fans can find popular Pokemon like Giratina, Rotom, and Weavile, so be sure to check out the website for more details. 

Dark Ball and Quick Ball Buttons are Now Available!

To celebrate these new patterns, new buttons inspired by the Dark Ball and Quick Ball are now available. Fans can also choose from the traditional Pokeball, Great Ball, Hyper Ball, Premier Ball, Moon Ball, and Dive Ball. 

Puma and Pokemon are joining forces for the first time. The Puma x Pokemon collection officially went on sale on November 12, offering fans a collection of sneakers, bags, apparel, and more.

The playful new collection incorporates iconic images of popular Pokemon like Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. The shoe lineup includes popular models like the Slipstream, Suede Classics, and Rider FV. Pokemon can be found hiding on the shoe’s tongue, insole, and heel, and fans are sure to love these stylish kicks. For apparel, customers can grab cotton T-shirts, crew-neck sweatshirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and more. Complete your look with a beanie or messenger bag. 

The Puma x Pokemon collection is on sale at Puma Store Harajuku Cat Street, Puma Store Osaka, Puma Store Odaiba, Puma Store Fujimi, Puma Store Kyoto, Puma Sapporo Factory, Puma Store Fukuoka, and the official Puma online store. 

On October 29, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took part in Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival in Oakland, California. The following day, the popular singer also appeared at Porter Robinson + Friends, an afterparty event held in San Francisco. American fans are finding their excitement at a fever pitch as the Harajuku-based artist continues to perform abroad!

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu recently made headlines when she performed an unprecedented 62 songs at Nippon Budokan on October 19 during the final stop on her 10th-anniversary tour. Following this impressive feat, Kyary performed at yet another festival in Japan before hastily returning to the United States following her show-stopping performance at Coachella half a year ago.

Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival was hosted by and featured performances by internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Porter Robinson. Other important figures in the dance music scene also appeared including SKRILLEX and RL GRIME.

The event took place in a large parking lot adjacent to the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Oakland Athletics MLB team. Since the show took place close to Halloween, plenty of decorations could be found, and fans lined up from the early morning to get inside.

Although Kyary’s performance was scheduled for quite early in the day, the audience sprawled out as far as the eye could see. As DE.BA.YA.SHI. 2021 began to play, fans began to excitedly call out Kyary’s name. In Japan, regulations are in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, meaning that audience members are forbidden to yell during concerts–but no such precaution exists in the U.S. It was clear that Kyary was beyond excited to hear the audience’s enthusiasm, and as the show began, the artist called out “Second Sky,” to which the fans responded with excited cries. 

The audience danced wildly to Candy Racer and Dodonpa, two of Kyary’s most peppy tracks, which played in succession. The singer did her best to speak English. “Hello! I’m Kyary Pamyu Pamyu from Japan,” she began. She then complimented a fan in full Kyary cosplay. “Wow! Nice costume! PONPONPON costume, so nice,” she said.

During CANDY CANDY -Remix-, the audience raised their hands high in the air as they followed Kyary’s instructions to jump, swaying from left to right. As the audience moved in sync, a number of hit tracks began to play, including Harajuku Iyahoi and Tsukematsukeru. However, nothing could match the excitement of the moment that the intro to PONPONPON began to play. Porter Robinson, who was watching the live performance from the side of the stage, was moved to tears, and everyone could feel how big Kyary’s presence was for local fans.

Kyary’s performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April of this year became a hot topic, showing that Kyary is still incredibly popular in the U.S. ten years after her major debut.

In addition to her largest national tour to date, Kyary has made numerous appearances at music festivals in Japan and abroad in 2022. The artist’s first overseas performance during her 11th year as a performer was an incredible success and bodes well for Kyary’s future.

＜Setlist＞
2022.10.29 “Second Sky Music Festival”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Dodonpa
3.Invader Invader
4. CANDY CANDY –Remix-
5. Ninja Re Bang Bang –Steve Aoki Remix-
6. Harajuku Iyahoi
7. Tsukematsukeru
8. PONPONPON –Extended Mix-
9. Fashion Monster

2022.10.30 “Porter Robinson + Friends”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Ninja Re Bang Bang
3. CANDY CANDY
4.Crazy Party Night-Pumpkins Strike Back-
5. Kira Kira Killer
6. Isshin Doutai
7. Harajuku Iyahoi
8. Fashion Monster
9. PONPONPON

Mister Donut has revealed its annual Pokemon Christmas collaboration. This marks the 5th year that the popular sweets chain is teaming up with the legendary franchise, and starting on November 9, fans can find themed sweets and merchandise for a limited time. 

Pikachu Snowman Donut

Christmas Collection Donut Set

New to the lineup in 2022 is the Pikachu Snowman Donut. This will be sold alongside the always-popular standard Pikachu Donut which will be sold in a cute Christmas sleeve. Customers can also look forward to the sleepy Pikachu Donut and the fluffy Jigglypuff Donut this holiday season.

Mister Donut Blanket (White)

Mister Donut Glasses (Set of 2)

The Christmas Set will include the Mister Donut Pokemon Blanket, which is available in two patterns, as well as a pair of Pokemon glasses. Fans are sure to enjoy these new illustrations of Pikachu and Jigglypuff made exclusively for the collaboration. 

Pikachu Donut

The popular Pikachu Donut is back! The fluffy yeast pastry is filled with whipped cream with a pudding flavor and chocolate coating. 

Pikachu Snowman Donut

Also filled with whipped cream, the Pikachu Snowman Donut is coated with white chocolate.

Be sure to check out this exclusive collection of sweets and goods before they’re gone!

©2022 Pokémon. ©1995-2022 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc.

ポケットモンスター・ポケモン・Pokémonは任天堂・クリーチャーズ・ゲームフリークの登録商標です。
Nintendo Switchのロゴ・Nintendo Switchは任天堂の商標です。

The Nippon Foundation has been supporting people with disabilities in Japan and abroad for over fifty years. To mark this incredible milestone, True Colors Festival THE CONCERT 2022 will be held on November 19 and 20 at Tokyo Garden Theater. The performance aims to inspire fans to express their uniqueness. 

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform as a guest performer on both days of the concert, which stands to be one of the largest live events in the world put on by artists with disabilities.

Kyary became a smash hit with audiences worldwide after Katy Perry praised her PONPONPON music video on Twitter, and the two are said to be fans of one another. This will be the first time that the two pop icons will perform on stage together. 

“I’m looking forward to performing with so many unique artists from around the world,” Kyary said in a statement. “I’m so happy that I’m going to live my dream of performing with Katy!” 

Pokemon and Original Inc. are back with some new Pokemon Shirts in collaboration with the popular visual artist Yu Nagaba! Customers can head onto the official Pokemon Shirts website now to grab one of these cute new Pikachu-inspired designs. 

The apparel brand Original Stitch was created by an engineer working in Silicon Valley who wanted to make it easier to shop for clothes. After launching a test service in 2013 and establishing the brand’s parent company, Original Inc., in 2015, the company began developing its custom shirt service. Those buying from the site can customize every detail of their shirt and order in as little as five minutes. These shirts are carefully tailored by craftsmen at a factory in Japan.

Two New Designs Made in Collaboration with Popular Artist Yu Nagaba

Two printed patterns and one unique embroidery have been added to the collection for a limited time. Yu Nagaba’s designs can be used to cover entire shirts or can be used as accents on collars and sleeves. Customers can even use the embroidery on a plain shirt to make something more subtle. 

Yu Nagaba’s casual depiction of Pikachu shows why his art is so beloved. Silly and subtle, both Pokemon fans and fans of Nagaba’s art are welcome to snag one of these shirts before they’re gone. Check out the website for more details.

Pattern: Yu Nagaba (White)

Pattern: Yu Nagaba (Black)

Embroidery: Pikachu (Yu Nagaba)

Japan’s largest sake event, TOKYO SAKE FESTIVAL 2022, will run from October 4 until October 6 at the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building’s Triangle Square.

The event’s aim is to make sake more mainstream around the world, with the first festival taking place in 2020. Tokyo Sake Festival blends sake with entertainment, showing off the very best of Japanese culture to those who may be new to craft sake. For the third year, former NMB48 member Yui Takano will serve as ambassador. Takano is known for leaving her idol career to manage the sake specialty store Yui Sake Shop. 

Tokyo Sake Festival 2022 is bringing together forty carefully selected sake breweries from around Japan, including Inoue Seikichi, winner of the Champion Sake award at IWC 2022. Tonoike Sake Brewery, winner of Kura Master 2022’s President’s Award, will also be in attendance. The full lineup can be found on the official website.

Popular influencers and artists from Raphael to BOYS AND MEN and Ukon Takafuji will take the stage during the event, so be sure to swing by if you’re a fan of Japanese spirits!

Monpoke, the official Pokemon baby brand, has released the lookbook for its 2022 Autumn/Winter collection! New items include pajamas, jackets, and other apparel and sundries for infants and toddlers. Monpoke, which launched in 2019, has added two new familiar Pokemon to the lineup this time around–Gengar and Mimikyu. 

Nighttime-only Diapers featuring Sleepymon Design

Pikachu and the Nighttime Adventure, the Second Book in Rikako Matsuo’s Monpoke Picture Book Series

The adorable diapers will help keep babies dry all night, and these helpful products will be released nationwide in early November 2022. The new picture book will be released on September 21, so be ready to add it to your nighttime reading routine.

©Pokémon. ©Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.