What this is
The Bears' School x Hello Kitty POP UP SHOP is a limited-time collaboration pop-up retail event bringing together two beloved Japanese character franchises — Jackie the bear from The Bears' School picture book series and Sanrio's iconic Hello Kitty. The event launches at Tokyo Character Street Ichiban Plaza inside Tokyo Station First Avenue on June 26, 2026, before rolling out sequentially to Jackie's Marche locations in Kichijoji and Osaka Umeda, as well as selected KIDDY LAND stores. A dedicated online shop via Tokyo Character Street Online Plaza runs concurrently from June 26 through July 9, 2026. The collaboration offers a wide range of exclusive merchandise including plush toys, pouches, and T-shirts, with a special limited hologram sticker gifted to customers spending ¥3,300 or more — with sticker designs varying by venue, giving collectors a reason to visit multiple locations.
Who should go
This event is ideal for fans of Japanese character culture, Sanrio collectors, and anyone who grew up with The Bears' School books or Hello Kitty merchandise. It will appeal strongly to families with young children, kawaii culture enthusiasts, and tourists looking for exclusive limited-edition souvenirs unavailable outside Japan. The multi-venue format makes it a fun mini-quest for dedicated collectors hoping to collect all the venue-exclusive hologram sticker variants. Arrive early on opening day at Tokyo Character Street, as limited collaboration items at pop-up shops in high-traffic locations like Tokyo Station tend to sell out quickly.
Good to know
Tokyo Character Street is a dedicated character goods shopping zone on the B1 floor of Tokyo Station First Avenue, accessible directly from the station concourse without exiting the gates — making it very convenient for visitors passing through. The area is popular and can get crowded on weekends and during new pop-up launches, so a weekday morning visit is recommended for a more relaxed experience. Payment by credit card is generally accepted at Tokyo Character Street retailers, including foreign cards, though having some cash on hand is always useful. The hologram sticker gift is limited in quantity and varies by venue, so if collecting all variants is your goal, plan visits to multiple locations — Kichijoji and Osaka Umeda stores open sequentially after the Tokyo launch. Online shopping via Tokyo Character Street Online Plaza closes July 9, so don't delay if you prefer to shop remotely.
This event was sourced and translated from Japanese by What's On Japan. Details may change — verify with the official source before attending.