Umamusume Travel Refunds, MUFG Oshi Card, and Fujieda Council: Weekly Oshikatsu News (Oct 23, 2026)
From the announcements made between October 16 and October 22, 2026, we selected nine news stories covering oshikatsu (supporting one’s favorite idol, character, or team) marketing and fan business. Companies and local governments are beginning to build entry points for fandom into areas of everyday life rarely connected with oshikatsu before—such as daily payments, packing for a move, and choosing picture frames to display treasured items.
The complete edition covering all 16 stories is available on note. In this article, we introduce nine initiatives from businesses and local governments.
Read the full October 23, 2026 issue of Weekly Oshikatsu News (in Japanese)
This Week’s Highlights
Umamusume: Pretty Derby canceled its first planned world tour concert in Los Angeles, United States, after failing to obtain the US visas required for the performance. In addition to refunding tickets, the organizers announced that they will also cover accommodation and transportation cancellation costs and reimburse expenses for fans who had already departed or arrived, subject to specified periods and conditions.
Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS launched “Oen+ Card” (Cheering+ Card), a prepaid card app that lets users display their favorite characters on the card face. Art Moving Company revealed the full package contents and campaign details for its “Oshikatsu Pack” moving plan—originally announced in September—which will begin service in November. Both initiatives create mechanisms within everyday procedures like moving and shopping to honor fans’ desire to cherish the time they spend with their favorites.
At the regional level, Fujieda City in Shizuoka Prefecture established the “Fujieda Oshikatsu Council,” referring to people who support the area as “Eda-Oshi,” while Kamiichi Town in Toyama Prefecture will launch a fan club before the end of the year to support its local railway. Meanwhile, Calbee’s “Kataage Potato Cheering Club” is celebrating its 10th anniversary by releasing a potato chip flavor decided together with club members.
9 Fan Business Initiatives (Oct 16–22, 2026)
- Overseas Concert CareUmamusume announces conditional travel expense reimbursements after LA concert cancellation over visa delays
- Daily Payments & MovingMUFG NICOS Oen+ Card app and Art Moving Company's Oshikatsu Pack
- Displaying & Trading GoodsGakubuchi no Takahashi framing expansion and Bunkyodo's Surugaya store
- Fan Co-Creation & CheeringCalbee 10th-anniversary chips and Osaka Bluteon arena cheering ads
- Municipal Regional FandomFujieda City's Eda-Oshi Council and Kamiichi Town's railway fan club
Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article
Taking Responsibility for Traveling Fans’ Burdens When an Overseas Concert Is Canceled
Umamusume — Lodging and Transportation Costs to Be Refunded Following LA Concert Cancellation
Umamusume: Pretty Derby canceled its first world tour concert, which had been scheduled for October 22 and 23 local time at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, United States. Approval for the US visas required for the performance—which had been in preparation for more than half a year—was not granted; organizers shared an update on the situation on October 19 before announcing the cancellation on October 20. In-person attendance tickets, streaming tickets, live viewing tickets, and the official tour with JTB are all eligible for refunds. Furthermore, on October 21, organizers announced plans to cover accommodation and transportation cancellation costs and reimburse expenses for those who had already departed or arrived, subject to specified periods and conditions; supporting documents would be required.
Source: Oricon News (in Japanese)
Lab Note: When traveling for an event (ensei), flight and hotel expenses often exceed the price of the ticket itself. Overseas concerts are subject to administrative procedures like visas that organizers cannot control on their own. Even with the disappointing outcome of a cancellation, responding in a way that pays attention to the financial burden on fans will likely build trust for the rest of the tour continuing on to London, Seoul, and Yokohama.
- US Visa Preparation BeginsOrganizers prepare the visa applications required for the Los Angeles performance
- Status Update IssuedOrganizers notify fans of the ongoing US visa approval situation
- Concert Cancellation AnnouncedRefunds confirmed for venue, streaming, live viewing tickets, and JTB official tours
- Travel & Hotel Reimbursement AddedOrganizers announce plans to cover travel cancellation costs and eligible expenses for fans already traveling or on-site, subject to specified periods, conditions, and supporting documents
- Original LA Concert DatesFirst world tour stop originally scheduled at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles
Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article
Bringing Time Spent with Your Oshi into Moving Day and Everyday Payments
Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS — “Oen+ Card” for Paying with Your Favorite’s Design
On October 19, Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS launched “Oen+ Card,” a prepaid payment app that lets users display anime and game characters on their card face. For its first wave, users can choose from 28 designs across 10 properties, including BLUELOCK, SV.LEAGUE, Osaka Bluteon, and ChroNoiR. Residents of Japan aged 15 or older can apply, with legal guardian consent required for minors, and both downloading the app and issuing a virtual card are free of charge. Points accumulate based on the amount spent and can be exchanged for exclusive merchandise and digital content.
Sources: Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS “Oen+ Card” Official Page (in Japanese), Impress Watch (in Japanese)
Lab Note: This system turns everyday smartphone payments directly into an act of supporting your favorite. From the IP holder’s perspective, it maintains a touchpoint with fans even during periods when there are no live events or new merchandise releases. Seeing a major credit card company launch a payment service with oen (“cheering/support”) right in its name makes it clear that oshikatsu has expanded into how people spend money every day.
Art Moving Company — Contents and Campaign Finalized for “Oshikatsu Pack”
On October 16, Art Moving Company unveiled the full details of “Oshikatsu Pack,” the oshikatsu-oriented moving plan first announced in September, ahead of its November 1 launch. The “Oshigoto Box” packing material, jointly developed with a group company, combines a small-sized cardboard box with urethane cushioning and movable dividers so that figures and CDs can be fitted securely according to their shapes. Starting on the same day, November 1, a collaboration campaign with Hyakumantenbara Salome and four other VTubers (livers) from NIJISANJI will also kick off, offering wallpapers featuring reproduced handwritten messages from the livers to customers who request and complete a remote “Mirai” estimate through the campaign website between November 1, 2026 and January 31, 2027; those who also complete their move with the company by March 12, 2027 will receive cards.
Source: Art Moving Company Announcement of “Oshikatsu Pack” Launch and NIJISANJI Collaboration (in Japanese)
Lab Note: This is a follow-up to the project we introduced in our September 25 issue. For many fans, merchandise is the biggest source of anxiety when packing for a move. Here, a moving company is answering worries about chipped acrylic stand corners or cracked CD cases with purpose-built packing supplies. Stepping in to help fans continue their life with their oshi smoothly across major life milestones could serve as a useful reference for other service industries as well.
Custom Framing and Retail Spaces for Fan Merchandise Are Expanding Across Town
Gakubuchi no Takahashi — Custom Framing Booms on Oshikatsu Demand, Prompting Main Store Relocation
On October 22, Gakubuchi no Takahashi (Takahashi Framing) in Nagano City relocated its main store within the city from Kawanakajimamachi-Hara to Shinonoi-Okada and opened for business. The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun reports that the company’s custom framing service is thriving on the back of oshikatsu demand. Online orders for this service—which fits customers’ entrusted items into picture frames—have been strong enough that the former main store became cramped, and the company’s annual sales have surpassed 800 million yen. At the new main store, the company has expanded both its e-commerce division and its factory, while also enlarging its in-store customer service space.
Source: Shinano Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Long-cultivated craftsmanship is answering fans’ desire to frame and look at their merchandise, tickets, and keepsakes every day rather than tucking them away in storage. Fan items come in all shapes and sizes, and selecting the right frame to fit each piece individually takes effort. Taking on that effort through professional store craftsmanship and online ordering may be what led the company to connect with a new wave of customers.
Bunkyodo — Converting Floors 2 to 4 of Its Flagship Bookstore into a Secondhand Hobby Shop
Bookstore chain Bunkyodo will end book sales at its Mizonokuchi main store in Kawasaki City and convert the second through fourth floors into a secondhand hobby shop, “Surugaya Mizonokuchi Store.” With a grand opening scheduled for December 10, the location will serve as a hub buying and selling approximately 300,000 new and pre-owned items, centered on anime merchandise, figures, games, and trading cards. Book sales will be consolidated into the nearby Mizonokuchi Ekimae (station-front) store. In Bunkyodo’s fiscal year ended August 2026, strong performance across its books, stationery and miscellaneous goods, and trading card divisions helped the company swing from an operating loss of 41 million yen in the previous fiscal year to an operating profit of 78 million yen.
Source: AdverTimes. (in Japanese)
Lab Note: The trend of bookstores expanding floor space for anime merchandise and trading cards may indicate that shopping for favorite works and characters is becoming central to neighborhood bookstores. Handling both buybacks and sales under the same roof also positions the store to become a go-to spot where fans can part with old items or hunt for new ones.
- Over 800M yen
- Annual sales at Gakubuchi no Takahashi amid strong online framing orders
- Approx. 300,000
- New and used items at Bunkyodo's converted Surugaya Mizonokuchi store
- 78M yen
- Bunkyodo's FY2026 operating profit, reversing a 41M yen operating loss
- Approx. 68,000
- Calbee Kataage Potato Cheering Club members as of September 2026
Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article
Turning Flavors and Words Chosen by Fans into Products and Match-Venue Experiences
Calbee — Co-Created Product for the 10th Anniversary of the “Kataage Potato Cheering Club”
On October 22, Calbee announced that it will release Kataage Potato: Luxurious Seafood Dashi Flavor (堅あげポテト 贅沢海鮮だし味), a co-created product commemorating the 10th anniversary of its “Kataage Potato Cheering Club” fan community, for a limited time at convenience stores nationwide starting November 2. Sales at stores other than convenience stores will follow on November 9. The cheering club solicited ideas for “a celebratory flavor worthy of the 10th anniversary” and selected the final flavor through a runoff vote, while the package design was also chosen by vote based on illustrations submitted by club members. As of September 2026, approximately 68,000 members belong to the cheering club.
Source: Calbee Release Announcement for “Kataage Potato: Luxurious Seafood Dashi Flavor” (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Seeing something chosen by fans—from the flavor concept right down to the packaging—lined up on store shelves must be a proud moment for club members. From tastings at fan meetings to novelty stickers created together with members, Calbee has prepared multiple ways for fans to celebrate the milestone together.
Osaka Bluteon — Accepting Cheering Ads Made with Official Player Photos Again This Season
On October 21, East Japan Marketing & Communications’ cheering ad service “Cheering AD” announced that it is once again accepting cheering advertisements for the men’s volleyball SV.LEAGUE team Osaka Bluteon this season. Fans create ads using official player photos and team logos, which are then broadcast on the giant screen at home game venues. Message readings by the arena MC and court announcer are also planned. Last season, ad slots sold out for certain matches, prompting additional sales.
Source: Cheering AD “Osaka Bluteon Cheering Ads Now Open for This Season” (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Cheering advertisements, which first spread among idol fans, are beginning to take root in sports venues as well. Seeing a favorite player’s photo alongside your own words projected huge across the arena before a match promises to be an unforgettable experience for fans. With Osaka Bluteon designs also joining Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS’s Oen+ Card this week, fans now have yet another way to support the team.
Local Governments Welcome Distant Supporters and Railway Fans as Cheering Allies
Fujieda City — A Council to Grow “Eda-Oshi” Regional Supporters
On October 22, Fujieda City in Shizuoka Prefecture announced the establishment of the “Fujieda Oshikatsu Council” to increase the number of people supporting the region. Having held its inaugural general meeting on October 5, the council calls people who grow fond of Fujieda, visit repeatedly, and support the area “藤枝推し” (“Eda-Oshi”)and will work across industry, academia, and government to grow their ranks. The initiative aims to expand dual-residency lifestyles (maintaining homes in two locations) as well as the “connected population” (kankei jinko) of people who engage with the region from afar. As its first event, a fan meeting scheduled for November 13 in Tokyo filled its capacity of 40 participants in roughly two weeks from the start of registration.
Source: Fujieda City Announcement of “Fujieda Oshikatsu Council” Establishment (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Valuing people who visit repeatedly and cheer for a town even while living elsewhere—rather than focusing solely on increasing permanent residents—closely resembles building a fan club. Preparing concrete ways to get involved across three distinct areas within the city, such as helping run music events or lending a hand with farm work, makes the approach practical and approachable.
Kamiichi Town — “Kamiichi Railway Fan Club” to Support Toyama Chiho Railway
Kamiichi Town in Toyama Prefecture will establish the “Kamiichi Railway Fan Club” before the end of the year to support the Toyama Chiho Railway running through the town. Anyone can join simply by following the town’s official Instagram account, creating a community that brings together local residents and railway fans from across Japan to share the appeal of the railway and region and to hold events. The Regional Revitalization Cooperators (Chiiki Okoshi Kyoryokutai) responsible for running the club and planning events are being recruited under a “company-employed model,” working as contract employees of Toyama Chiho Railway. The initiative aims to boost ridership on the financially struggling railway.
Source: Hokkoku Shimbun / Toyama Shimbun (in Japanese)
Lab Note: Structuring the initiative as a fan club allows not only daily commuters but also railway enthusiasts who want to support the line from afar to join the circle. Making registration as simple as following an Instagram account reflects a desire to make participation easy and welcoming. We look forward to watching how this effort to sustain a cherished local rail line through a community of fans develops.
This Week’s Reflections
After canceling its overseas concert, Umamusume extended refunds to cover not just tickets, but also accommodation and transportation cancellation costs and eligible expenses for fans who had already departed or arrived, subject to specified periods and conditions. This response shows genuine attention to just how much preparation fans put into attending a performance.
This week brought together initiatives tailored to fans’ everyday lives from industries that have rarely been covered in oshikatsu news before—including payments, moving services, custom picture framing, and bookstore retail floors. Wanting to transport merchandise safely, pay with a favorite character’s design, and frame treasured items are all feelings rooted in fans’ day-to-day lives.
Meanwhile, initiatives from local governments show that the word “oshikatsu” is beginning to be used to describe how people connect with regional communities. The efforts in Fujieda City and Kamiichi Town seek to nurture relationships not only based on the number of permanent residents, but also with people who cheer for the area from afar.
As seen in Calbee’s cheering club and Osaka Bluteon’s cheering ads, there are also more occasions where flavors and words chosen by fans become actual products or arena productions. Having spaces to listen to fans’ voices is what leads to long-lasting relationships of mutual support.
Previous Issue: Chiikawa × ANA Merchandise, and Oshikatsu in Neighborhood and Travel Time
Weekly Oshikatsu News rounds up a week of oshikatsu and business every week. Read the complete edition here:
Weekly Oshikatsu News (October 23, 2026 Issue) on note (in Japanese)
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