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Japan’s Suica Penguin character is “graduating”, and you can choose its successor

• Oona McGee
  Sep 9, 2026
• Tweet

Can these new character candidates match up to the charm of the penguin?

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• Japan
• (characters • cute • East Japan Railway Company • Japan Railway Company • Japan travel • JR • JR East • mascot characters • penguins • Suica • Suica card • Suica Penguin • tourism • trains • travel)

Family Mart makes new anti-food-waste stickers, free for other stores and restaurants to use too

• Master Blaster
  Oct 27, 2025

Help the crying food and save money too!

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• Japan
• (business • characters • convenience stores • copyright • Family mart • food waste • stickers)

What’s the story behind the running boy mascot in Japan?

• Oona McGee
  Apr 21, 2025

“Emotional parking boy that can be used every day” is missing one vital thing.

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• Japan
• (anime characters • art • car park • characters • cool • cute • Japanese mascots • mascot characters • Mascots • parking • parking areas • parking lot • parking lots • regional characters • regional mascots • Shikoku • Tokushima)

Studio Ghibli bean bag plushies are ready to receive your love and affection

• Oona McGee
  Apr 12, 2025

Characters from Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service and My Neighbour Totoro appear in this cuddly anime collection.

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• Japan
• (anime • anime merchandise • characters • Donguri Kyowakoku • Ghibli • manga • merchandise • movie • My Neighbor Totoro • plush toys • plushies • soft toys • spirited away • Studio Ghibli • Totoro)

Studio Ghibli adds new Kiki’s Delivery Service bags and pouches to its anime shop in Japan

• Oona McGee
  Mar 13, 2025

Jiji, Lily and their cute black kitten are ready to accompany you on your daily outings.

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• Japan
• (anime • anime cats • anime characters • bags • cats • characters • cute • Donguri Kyowakoku • Ghibli • Jiji • Kiki's Delivery Service • Lily • manga • pouches • Studio Ghibli)

Studio Ghibli gives anime lovers a happy ending with new Whisper of the Heart music box

• SoraNews24
  Feb 21, 2025

Stray cat Moon also visits our world as a cuddly plush toy.

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• Japan
• (anime • anime cats • anime characters • Baron • cats • characters • Donguri Kyowakoku • Ghibli • Louise • manga • moon • music box • plush toys • plushie • Studio Ghibli • whisper of the heart)

Sanrio’s lucky bag promises even more kawaii goods galore in 2024

• Krista Rogers
  Jan 17, 2024

We purchased a Pompompurin-themed bag to relive our childhood nostalgia and were pleasantly surprised at the practicality of the items.

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• Japan
• (characters • Cinnamoroll • COK • cute • fukubukuro 2024 • K. Masami • Kawaii • lucky bag • Lucky Bag Roundup 2024 • Pompompurin • Sanrio • SNJO • Tuxedo Sam)

Mister Donut’s new collection of ghost characters brings a fun new twist to Halloween

• Oona McGee
  Sep 10, 2023

Come for the spooky cute doughnuts, stay for their creative backstories.

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• Japan
• (character goods • characters • COK • cute • donuts • doughnuts • ghosts • halloween • limited edition • Mister Donut • sweets)

Japanese prison mascot appears in children’s colouring book made by prison inmates

• SoraNews24
  Aug 25, 2023

Can an anthropomorphised prison wall really capture the heart of a child? 

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• Japan
• (Akarenga-kun • characters • Chiba Prison • children's book • children's books • COK • coloring book • coloring books • correctional facility • crime • jail • kyoseiten • mascot characters • Mascots • prison • review • SNJO)

Mister Donut teams up with Sumikko Gurashi for the first time for adorable goods and donuts

• Dale Roll
  Jul 9, 2023

They may be for kids, but that doesn’t mean adults don’t want them too!

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• Japan
• (character goods • characters • cute • donuts • goods • kids • kids' meal • limited edition • merchandise • Mister Donut • San-X • Sumikko Gurashi • Sumikkogurashi)

Krispy Kreme releases Japanese fox doughnuts in Japan!

• Oona McGee
  Apr 22, 2023

Indigenous fox enjoys the spotlight in one part of the country.

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• Japan
• (animals • characters • COK • cute • donuts • doughnuts • Ezo • Ezo Red Fox • food • fox • foxes • Hokkaido • Kita Kitsune • kitsune • Krispy Kreme • Krispy Kreme Japan • sweets • weird)

Krispy Kreme Japan’s new Sesame Street doughnut range includes…wasabi!

• Oona McGee
  Apr 5, 2023

Look out, Cookie Monster — Elmo’s “favourite” wasabi is about to blow you away.

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• Japan
• (characters • chocolate chip • COK • Cookie Monster • cute • donuts • doughnuts • Elmo • food • Krispy Kreme • Krispy Kreme Japan • Sesame Street • sweets • wasabi • weird)

Starbucks x Snoopy collection debuts in Japan!

• Oona McGee
  Sep 15, 2022

A dream collaboration for fans of coffee…and Peanuts.

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• Japan
• (anime • autumn • characters • COK • cute • drinks • drinkware • fall • limited edition • merchandise • mugs • Peanuts • Snoopy • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • tumblers)

Former sake brewery in Japan gets a new life as…whatever the heck this is

• Oona McGee
  May 17, 2022

Looking for a weird place to visit in Japan? This spot ticks all the boxes.

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• Japan
• (art • characters • COK • Kinnikuman • Masanuki Sunakoma • Mazinger Z • nostalgia • Saitama • sake brewery • Showa • SNJO • Spider-Man • statues • travel • weird • wtf)

Nothing to see here — just a giant cat selling puddings in Japan

• Oona McGee
  Feb 24, 2022

The hardest working feline in the country. 

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• Japan
• (animals • cats • characters • cute • food • funny • Japanese sweets • LOL • Mascots • pets • pudding • purin • sweets • twitter • videos • weird • wtf)

Studio Ghibli reveals mystery hidden on coat of arms and outdoor signs at Ghibli Museum

• Oona McGee
  Feb 18, 2022

Fans in Japan left reeling after surprise revelation blows everyone’s minds.

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• Japan
• (animals • anime • Catbus • characters • Ghibli • Ghibli Museum • Hayao Miyazaki • Mascots • movies • Studio Ghibli • Totoro)

Ghibli fan wins Guinness World Record for the largest collection of Studio Ghibli memorabilia

• Oona McGee
  Feb 18, 2022

A massive collection No Face would be proud of.

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• Japan
• (Amusement Parks • anime • characters • Ghibli • Ghibli Park • Hayao Miyazaki • Mascots • Morikoro • movies • Studio Ghibli • theme parks • Toshio Suzuki • wallpapers)

Mos Burger mascot retires to make way for new character in Japan

• Oona McGee
  Feb 16, 2022

50-year-old burger character is traded in for a newer, younger, human model. 

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• Japan
• (burgers • characters • fast food • food • Japanese characters • Japanese mascots • LilMos • lunch packs • marketing • Mascots • Mos Burger • Mossan • sandwiches • Yamazaki)

Studio Ghibli releases wallpapers for Ghibli Park, introduces us to two new forest characters

• Oona McGee
  Feb 5, 2022

Meet “Miyazo” and “Zukkoro“, a duo based on Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki, who come with an interesting backstory.

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• Japan
• (Amusement Parks • anime • characters • Ghibli • Ghibli Park • Hayao Miyazaki • Mascots • Morikoro • movies • Studio Ghibli • theme parks • Toshio Suzuki • wallpapers)

New Japanese mascot character: A train station monster that grabs children who don’t mind the gap

• Oona McGee
  Jan 28, 2022

Kind of like a Japanese version of Pennywise the Clown. 

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• Japan
• (art • characters • design • Japanese characters • Japanese mascots • Japanese train stations • JR West • marketing • mascot characters • Osaka • posters • train stations • trains • WEST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY)

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• Recent Posts

  • Japanese hoodie for cat-loving gamers will keep you and your feline friend warm and fuzzy [Pics]
  • Kenshi Yonezu’s Lemon hits 1 billion views on YouTube and he’s still not quite sure why
  • New Era celebrates three decades of Pokémon with new 30th anniversary cap line [Photos]
  • Two Tokyo neighborhoods to gather on bridge and shift their recognized border through tug-of-war
  • Hello Kitty ready to keep you company in the bathroom with new dessert-aroma Sanrio toilet paper

• MOST POPULAR

  • Today
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  Today

  1. Two Tokyo neighborhoods to gather on bridge and shift their recognized border through tug-of-war
  2. New Era celebrates three decades of Pokémon with new 30th anniversary cap line [Photos]
  3. Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
  4. Japanese hoodie for cat-loving gamers will keep you and your feline friend warm and fuzzy [Pics]
  5. Hello Kitty ready to keep you company in the bathroom with new dessert-aroma Sanrio toilet paper
  6. Japan’s new matcha vending machines serve freshly prepared matcha in five different strengths
  7. Kenshi Yonezu’s Lemon hits 1 billion views on YouTube and he’s still not quite sure why
  8. Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
  9. Restaurant opens in Japan with all-dementia waitresses, serves up ramen, awareness, and kindness
  10. Cinnabon gets into the Japanese spirit with new Wagokorobon treats

  Weekly

  1. Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
  2. Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
  3. Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
  4. Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
  5. Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
  6. Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
  7. Two Tokyo neighborhoods to gather on bridge and shift their recognized border through tug-of-war
  8. Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
  9. Japan’s new matcha vending machines serve freshly prepared matcha in five different strengths
  10. First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open

  Monthly

  1. Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia
  2. Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
  3. Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
  4. Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
  5. What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
  6. Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
  7. Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
  8. New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
  9. Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
  10. Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store

  Yearly

  1. Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
  2. Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
  3. Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
  4. Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
  5. Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
  6. Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
  7. Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
  8. Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
  9. Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
  10. Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa

• RECOMMENDED STORIES

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  • Restaurant opens in Japan with all-dementia waitresses, serves up ramen, awareness, and kindness
  • Cinnabon gets into the Japanese spirit with new Wagokorobon treats
  • Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
  • Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
  • Get the taste of the U.K. in Tokyo with 99 Flakes, meat pies, and Jaffa Cakes
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  • Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
  • Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
  • Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
  • Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
  • Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings

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• • Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
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