We visit Hobonichi HQ in Tokyo to give you the highlights and our must-buy recommendations for next year’s range.
Hello Kitty
Sanrio’s kaiju crossover gives one cute character two extra heads, plus gives one character often overlooked in Japan some time in the spotlight.
The 20th birthday of a local legend calls for collaborations with Hello Kitty, Chubu Centrair International Airport, and 15 local businesses.
The convenience store chain offers the summer’s most kawaii collab by bringing 26 characters from different worlds together.
This cute line-up is made from sustainable materials and will make your friends green with envy.
70,647,379 votes tallied, and one European nation apparently loves Sanrio’s often-forgotten grannie character.
Hello Kitty and friends imagined what their perfect hotel would be like, and they’re inviting you in.
After Hello Kitty goes home for the day, some decidedly less cute characters will be taking over Sanrio Puroland.
We find out if the limited-edition Sanrio frappe and smoothie taste as sweet as they look.
Hello Kitty and friends’ tour of the country comes to its last stop in downtown Tokyo with a look back on 60 years of cuteness, Japanese-style.
Sanrio characters add sweetness to first-ever McDonald’s smoothie and frappe collaboration, complete with a Japanese idol commercial.

![Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video] Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/md-1.jpg?w=640)




![Sanrio collaborates with Sesame Street for adorable merch and sweets in Japan[Photos] Sanrio collaborates with Sesame Street for adorable merch and sweets in Japan[Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/1.jpg?w=640)



![Sanrio amusement park in Tokyo to host Psycho Game horror event this summer[Video] Sanrio amusement park in Tokyo to host Psycho Game horror event this summer[Video]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/sr-1-1.jpg?w=640)
![Hello Kitty is now a transforming truck robot[Photos] Hello Kitty is now a transforming truck robot[Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/hk-1-1.jpg?w=640)

![Sanrio’s best-loved butthole defies physics in adorable sumo collaboration[Photos] Sanrio’s best-loved butthole defies physics in adorable sumo collaboration[Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/ss-1.jpg?w=640)
![Final version of Sanrio: Beginning of Kawaii exhibition opens in Tokyo[Photos] Final version of Sanrio: Beginning of Kawaii exhibition opens in Tokyo[Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/sr-1.jpg?w=640)





Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
Hikaru Utada sings new song in Shinkansen commercial for Japan’s Supreme Class cabins
Farewell Final Ceremony announced for Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue, will stream live
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Tokyo’s Haneda Airport opens new Terminal 1 North Satellite next month
Foreign travelers arrested in Japan following smash-and-grab robbery in Tokyo shopping mall
Starting this fall, you’ll be able to take a Pokémon Jet flight to Japan
Pizza Hut Japan creates moon-viewing sukiyaki chrysanthemum pizza for tsukimi season
Starbucks Japan adds a gooey sweet potato Frappuccino to its menu this autumn
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Police in Japan looking for who’s responsible for dumping 80 loaves of bread on side of road [Video]
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Tokyo’s Haneda Airport opens new Terminal 1 North Satellite next month
Foreign travelers arrested in Japan following smash-and-grab robbery in Tokyo shopping mall
Starting this fall, you’ll be able to take a Pokémon Jet flight to Japan
Pizza Hut Japan creates moon-viewing sukiyaki chrysanthemum pizza for tsukimi season
Starbucks Japan adds a gooey sweet potato Frappuccino to its menu this autumn
Anime and Hollywood movies cross over in new Universal Studios Japan merch collection
Nonstop flights from U.S. to Okinawa return after 54 years, making travel faster than before
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Family Mart reveals new T-shirt uniforms, relaxes hair colour rules for staff… but is it all too casual?
Godiva Japan hops into tsukimi season with bunny and moon-themed chocolate assortments
Amid foreign sex tourist rise, Japanese government considering outlawing paying for prostitution
McDonald’s Japan reveals exclusive new Tsukimi moon viewing collection for 2026
Tokaido Lumière Express: Stay overnight inside the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo
Starbucks Japan adds new Customisation Bar to stores, with free ways to hack your food and drink orders