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. 

A pop-up store for the popular anime series Chainsaw Man will open at baseyard tokyo from December 9, 2022 until February 15, 2023. 

The pop-up store will feature goods with new illustrations of Denji, Aki Hayakawa, Power, and Makima.

In addition to limited-edition merch, exclusive materials from behind the scenes of the Chainsaw Man anime series will be on display. The space itself is also worth seeing, with figures on sale and a huge monitor showing off the series. 

Round 1: December 9, 2022~

Round 2: January 2, 2023~

For every ¥2,000 spent on goods (including tax), a bonus item will be handed out. These bonus items will differ during Round 1 and Round 2, so be sure to come back during both periods!

©藤本タツキ／集英社・ ＭＡＰＰＡ

From November 19 to December 6, a limited-time shop inspired by the classic anime series Heidi, Girl of the Alps will open at EKIHAKO at Eki Marché Shin-Osaka at Shin-Osaka Station. Fans will be able to snag a number of exclusive items during this short time!

Heidi Pudding / Heidi Milk Caramels

Cream Sandwich

Printed Cookies with Bonus Pin

Chocolates (9-piece set)

Acrylic Swizzle Sticks

Mini Framed Magnets

Disinfectant Spray / Mini Canvas

Wooden Keychain

Wooden Stand with Clip

Non-woven Fabric Mask

Neck Strap

Clear Folder

Non-woven Tote Bag

Pullover Hoodie

Ceramic Mug

Kutani Ware Dish

Lottery

Purchase Bonus: Spend ¥2,200 or more (including tax) and receive an exclusive Osaka sticker (Not for Sale). 

Heidi, Girl of the Alps aired in Japan in 1974 and has remained popular to this day, largely due to the show’s characters often appearing in TV commercials. The goods available at this shop are only available for a short time, and visitors can also participate in a raffle to win some rare items!

©︎ZUIYO

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. 

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。

A story-based digital GPS rally inspired by Chainsaw Man will be held within Tokyo’s subway system from November 1 until November 28. Fans of the anime series won’t want to miss it!

Participants will be tasked with one vital mission: to find five senior devil hunters who are currently undercover at subway stations around the city.

Participants will download an app from the special website and follow the instructions within to find stamp locations at stations throughout Tokyo. When they reach the designated location, they’ll find a special poster, and they’ll just need to press a button in the app to earn a stamp. By collecting stamps in all six locations, fans will receive a unique key visual which can only be obtained through this event. 

Pop-Up Shop

During the event period, fans will also find a limited-time pop-up shop inside Ikebukuro Sunshine City. Original collaboration items will be on sale, and a game will be set up with winners able to walk away with unique prizes. From November 1 to November 20, admission to the shop will be by advance reservation only on a first-come, first-served basis to reduce crowding. Reservations can be made through the official website.

©藤本タツキ／集英社・ＭＡＰＰＡ

A collaboration cafe and pop-up shop inspired by the popular anime series Tokyo Revengers will open again this year following a successful run in 2021. The event will be held on the fourth floor of Tokyo Solamachi from November 3 until December 2, 2022.

Collaboration Merch

The collaboration will feature a variety of limited-edition goods with new designs based on the theme of the ‘backstreets.’ The lineup includes acrylic stands, clear folders, and plenty more. Special Baji birthday goods will also be available on November 3!

Collaboration Menu

The popular collaboration menu features food items inspired by the show’s characters, and guests will be able to enjoy everything from curry and yakisoba to pancakes and crepes. Even if you’re not hungry, you can still grab a drink!

Baji’s Birthday Celebration Event

From November 3 until November 7, fans of Baji won’t want to miss his birthday event. During this time, guests will be able to snag a special sweets plate, so don’t miss it!

See the official website for more details!

My Hero Academia began its sixth season this month, and to celebrate, a special pop-up store will open at Tokyo Solamachi for a limited time. Fans will be able to grab some neat merch from November 5 until December 2, 2022.

Limited-Edition Collaborative Goods

The new merchandise features unique character nametags drawn exclusively for the shop. Fans can grab all kinds of goods, from acrylic pen stands and pins to clear folders and pouches. 

Purchase Bonuses Available

Guests spending ¥1,000 (tax included) or more will be gifted an original illustration card. Ten designs are available, and each card will be given out at random. 

These new products can also be purchased online at the Tree Village site from November 5 at 9:00 until December 2 at 23:59. Note that the purchase bonus is not available for online orders.

For more details, check out the official website!

©堀越耕平／集英社・僕のヒーローアカデミア製作委員会

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)

A three-day exhibition of XR NFT art created by Japanese artists was recently held at Shibuya PARCO from October 15 until October 17. A hands-on booth was set up on the first floor of Shibuya PARCO’s Nakashibu-dori where visitors could freely view the world on display and take a hands-on tour. The exhibition marked the triumphant return to Japan of the city-linked XR NFT art exhibition originally held by Psychic VR Lab at NFT NYC, the world’s largest NFT event held from June 20 to June 23. Seven Japanese artists decorated New York Times Square during the event, and the recent event in Shibuya featured works by three of these artists. 

On October 15, Psychic VR Lab opened Shibuya Scramble Layer, an XR-ization of the famous Tokyo landmark, using its real metaverse platform STYLY. PARCO provided support for this initiative, which aims to open the metaverse to the city and enhance the experience value of Tokyo itself. Together, the two will work together to create new attractions for visitors to the capital to enjoy.