What this is
A pop-up merchandise store celebrating Isao Takahata's 1972 animated film 'Panda! Go, Panda!' — one of the precursor works to Studio Ghibli, made by the same team. The shop sells character goods featuring Pan-chan, Papanda, Tora-chan, and Mimiko, including new items like wobble acrylic blocks, Mochikororin plush mascots, can badges, flake stickers, and a Pan-chan pouch. Every purchase comes with one exclusive sticker. The Yokohama Loft run also includes a Papanda character greeting event on August 8, with numbered tickets distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to same-day merchandise buyers.
Who should go
Fans of classic Japanese animation and Ghibli-adjacent history will find this genuinely interesting. Families with young children who enjoy the film are a natural fit, as are collectors of limited-edition anime merchandise.
Good to know
Entry to browse and shop is free — you only spend if you buy merchandise. The Papanda greeting event on August 8 requires a numbered ticket distributed on-site to same-day merchandise purchasers, so plan to arrive when the store opens that morning. Yokohama Loft is a multi-floor lifestyle and variety store; the pop-up area is typically a designated section rather than the whole floor. Payment at Loft stores generally accepts major credit cards including foreign-issued Visa and Mastercard, as well as IC cards and cash. No advance ticket purchase is needed to shop — just show up during store hours.
This event was sourced and translated from Japanese by What's On Japan. Details may change — verify with the official source before attending.