Chiikawa x ANA Merch, FANME Prints, and Yuming Shinkansen Talks: Weekly Oshikatsu News (Oct 16, 2026)
From announcements made between October 9 and October 15, 2026, we selected eight stories covering oshikatsu (fan support activities) marketing and the fan business. From Chiikawa characters dressed in All Nippon Airways (ANA) uniforms to creator photos available at neighborhood convenience stores and exclusive audio talks heard aboard the Shinkansen bullet train, this issue looks at how companies are adding new enjoyment to fans’ everyday routines and travel time.
The complete edition covering all 18 news items is available on note. This article highlights eight stories that illustrate how companies are designing fan initiatives.
Read the full October 16, 2026 issue of Weekly Oshikatsu News on note (in Japanese)
This Week’s Highlights
ANA Trading announced the first wave of original “Chiikawa x ANA” merchandise. The lineup turns characters dressed in ANA uniforms into products fans can find online, at airports, and in flight. Alongside passengers boarding a plane, the project reaches fans who want to enjoy the feeling of air travel closer to home.
FANME launched a service allowing fans to purchase creator photos and stickers at participating convenience stores across Japan. By removing the hassle of membership registration and shipping, the system makes it easy for fans to support creators starting from a single print at a familiar neighborhood shop. Meanwhile, JR Central and Yumi Matsutoya introduced a project where passengers can listen to exclusive audio talks from their seats on the Tokaido Shinkansen, offering older fans who have listened to her music for decades a fresh reason to head out on a trip.
YouTube announced an interactive pop-up event built around experiencing scenes from videos rather than meeting creators in person. And in Asukanet’s fan support displays and Mitsumura Printing’s sports sponsorship, everyday core business capabilities—such as printing, venue decoration, and event operations—are being put to work to help fans create lasting memories.
Everyday Life, Travel, and Venue Support
- ANA TradingChiikawa goods sold online, at airports, and in flight
- TORIHADA (FANME)Creator photos printed at neighborhood convenience stores
- JR Central x Yumi MatsutoyaExclusive five-part talk series on the Tokaido Shinkansen
- YouTubeInteractive pop-up recreating video scenes in Shibuya
- Asukanet & MatsukiyoCocokaraMessage boards with flowers and single-use plushie detergent
- Mitsumura Printing & TohoTeam operations support and 3-million-member fan platform
Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of the article
Creating Touchpoints with Favorites During Neighborhood Errands and Travel Time
ANA Trading — Rolling Out “Chiikawa x ANA” Merchandise Online, at Airports, and In Flight
On October 15, ANA Trading announced the first wave of original “Chiikawa x ANA” merchandise. Commemorating the launch of the specially painted “Chiikawa Jet” aircraft, the lineup features the characters dressed in ANA uniforms. Sales will roll out starting October 23 through the official online store, select airport shops, and in-flight sales. To prepare for heavy traffic, the official online store will set up a virtual waiting room, and select airport stores plan to require advance store-visit reservations for the first three days after launch.
Source: ANA Trading announcement of the first wave of “Chiikawa x ANA” original merchandise (in Japanese)
The Oshi Lab Note: This initiative does not limit the appeal of air travel to passengers who are actually flying. By preparing a wide range of touchpoints—for people browsing online, passing through an airport, or buying items aboard a plane—it gives fans multiple ways to connect. Dressing the characters in the company’s distinctive uniforms helps convey both the charm of the merchandise and a sense of familiarity with the airline at the same time.
FANME — Launching a Service to Buy Photos and Stickers at Convenience Stores
On October 13, TORIHADA launched “FANME Print.” Through compatible multi-copy machines at FamilyMart, Lawson, and Ministop stores, fans can purchase photos and stickers from creators. Neither an app nor membership registration is required, and a portion of sales is returned to the creators. Prices vary by item, and payment is accepted in cash only. Every submission is reviewed prior to sale under proprietary standards that exclude AI-generated works and similar content.
Source: TORIHADA announcement of the “FANME Print” launch (in Japanese)
The Oshi Lab Note: Fans can show their support starting from just a single print at a neighborhood store without traveling to a distant venue. Placing pickup locations inside fans’ daily living areas can reach people who might otherwise hesitate to buy due to shipping wait times or account registration steps. For creator support services, bringing the place where fans can actually buy an item closer to the moment their desire to buy arises is a useful approach to study.
JR Central x Yumi Matsutoya — Five-Part Exclusive In-Train Talk Series on the Shinkansen
On October 13, Starry Cube announced a collaboration between singer-songwriter Yumi Matsutoya (affectionately known as Yuming) and JR Central’s “Oshi-Tabi” (Fandom Travel) campaign. Running from October 19, 2026, through March 31, 2027, the campaign will roll out a five-part series of exclusive audio talks accessible only inside Tokaido Shinkansen trains. Listeners can receive a digital wallpaper once per day after tuning in, and a lottery giveaway is also planned for passengers who collect keywords across all five installments. Participation requires free account registration as well as verification of location data and train speed while aboard.
Source: JR Central official guide for the “Yumi Matsutoya x Tokaido Shinkansen” campaign (in Japanese)
The Oshi Lab Note: For older fans who have listened to Yuming for decades, this turns transit time itself into a special part of the trip. Rather than being limited to concert travel, the experience can easily be paired with a trip taken with a spouse or friends. What stands out here is the perspective of designing travel around a lifelong attachment to music rather than narrowing the target audience solely to younger generations. Making the registration and playback instructions clear and easy to follow helps support participation across age groups.
Turning the World of Online Video into a Physical Space Fans Can Experience
YouTube — Japan’s First Interactive Pop-Up Built Around Experiencing Video Scenes
On October 14, YouTube announced the “YouTube Fanfest Japan 2026 Pop-Up.” Taking place from November 5 to November 8 at MEDIA DEPARTMENT TOKYO in Shibuya, the venue will feature photo spots recreating scenes from popular videos alongside interactive booths where visitors can try out video concepts firsthand. Admission is free and generally requires an advance reservation, with bookings opening on October 19 at 12:00 p.m. KDDI and Rakuten Group are sponsoring the event. Creators themselves will not appear in person or staff the booths.
Source: YouTube announcement of the “Fanfest Japan 2026 Pop-Up” event (in Japanese)
The Oshi Lab Note: Instead of relying solely on the draw of meeting creators in person, this event makes the video content itself the reason to visit. When visitors can try out cooking, beauty ideas, or experiments they have watched online, the venue also becomes a natural place to introduce favorite videos to friends. For corporate sponsors, this points to a way of getting involved beyond placing ads—by providing the tools and services visitors actually use during the hands-on experience.
Putting Floristry, Printing, and Everyday Retail Know-How to Work for Fans’ Small Wishes
Asukanet — “Flower Cheer,” Displaying Messages Alongside Floral Arrangements
On October 15, Asukanet released performance results for “Flower Cheer,” its participatory fan support display service. Under the system, fans purchase 100-millimeter-square boards printed with their name and a message, which are then displayed together with floral arrangements at event venues. Across three events held in February and August, a total of 346 boards were displayed. In a buyer survey, 33 out of the 38 respondents who answered the satisfaction question reported being satisfied or better. After the event concludes, fans can take their own displayed board home with them.
Source: Asukanet report on “Flower Cheer” results (in Japanese)
The Oshi Lab Note: Even fans who have never arranged a celebratory flower stand before can participate in showing support with a single message board. Seeing their own name displayed at the venue and taking the board home after the show leaves a tangible sense of having taken part. Combining existing in-house strengths—floral decoration, event operations, and on-demand printing—offers a helpful reference for companies looking to develop new fan-facing products out of their current lines of business.
- 346 boards
- Flower Cheer message boards displayed across 3 events in Feb and Aug
- 33 / 38
- Flower Cheer survey respondents who reported being satisfied or better
- 437 yen
- Tax-included price for 3 single-use 5ml packs of plushie detergent
- 3 million
- Approximate TOHO-ONE membership scale reached as of the end of August
Source: The Oshi Lab's summary of company announcements in the article
MatsukiyoCocokara — Pre-Measured Detergent Packets for “Oshi-Nui” Plushie Care
On October 13, MatsukiyoCocokara & Co. released a limited-quantity “Detergent for Plush Toys” under its private brand. The product was developed in response to fans wondering how to wash oshi-nui (character plushies of one’s favorite idol or character) that get dirty from being carried around on outings, drawing on the social media trend of nui-furo (“plushie baths”) as well as feedback from store staff. Priced at 437 yen including tax for a box of three 5-milliliter packets, the hand-wash detergent uses one packet per 2 liters of water. It is sold at group stores nationwide (excluding select locations) and through the official online store.
Source: MatsukiyoCocokara press release on the launch of “matsukiyo Detergent for Plush Toys” (in Japanese)
The Oshi Lab Note: Long after buying a piece of merchandise, fans continue to want to keep it clean and spend time with it for years to come. This is a case where the everyday household goods aisle stepped up to answer a specific care worry. Paying attention not only to social media trends but also to small, everyday problems heard on the sales floor—and thinking all the way through to single-use packets that require no measuring—gives shoppers a clear reason to pick up the product.
How Behind-the-Scenes Venue Work and Membership Services Support Long-Term Fandom
Mitsumura Printing — Supporting a Local Volleyball Team Through Production and Operations
On October 15, Mitsumura Printing announced that it had signed an official partner agreement with the NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki women’s volleyball team. The company will support behind-the-scenes work including partial match-venue decoration, promotions, and administrative tasks, while also sharing the team’s appeal through its business activities and internal initiatives. Through its cooperation with the Kawasaki-based team, the company aims to deepen connections among its employees and members of the local community.
The Oshi Lab Note: The atmosphere inside an arena and the clarity of venue signage play a quiet but real role in making cheering enjoyable. When a printing company structures its sponsorship around its everyday production and operational strengths, employees can also feel a concrete sense that their own work is backing the team. It is a practical example of how regional companies can approach fan engagement as a natural extension of what they already do best.
Toho — “TOHO-ONE” Reaches the 3-Million-Member Mark as of the End of August
In financial briefing materials released on October 15, Toho disclosed that its “TOHO-ONE” membership service had reached a scale of approximately 3 million members as of the end of August. Since launching in March, the service has seen steady migration from existing programs such as Cinemileage. Alongside studio tours and members-only performances, Toho is rolling out “ONE’s VOICE,” a feature that gathers fan impressions and feedback. Through special experiences and two-way communication, the company plans to deepen its long-term relationship with fans.
Source: Toho Q2 FY2027 Financial Results Briefing Materials (PDF, in Japanese)
The Oshi Lab Note: Because the membership total includes migrations from pre-existing services, the 3-million figure cannot be read as 3 million newly acquired fans. Even with that caveat in mind, what deserves attention is the post-enrollment experience. By layering moviegoing and theater visits with studio tours, members-only performances, and a channel for sharing opinions, Toho is creating more opportunities for fans to discover what they want to enjoy next.
Editorial Reflections on the Week
Products and projects that resonate with fans do not only exist in faraway, special venues. Choosing merchandise dressed in ANA uniforms, picking up a single photo print at a neighborhood convenience store, or listening to a favorite singer talk from a train seat—this week brought together examples that show what companies can build starting from specific scenes in daily life.
Yuming’s “Oshi-Tabi” Shinkansen campaign also highlights how fan projects can welcome older fans who have supported an artist for decades. When companies narrow their image of a “fan” solely to young people, they risk overlooking demand for this kind of travel and shared experience. Imagining who will enjoy a project, whom they will go with, and what part of their day it will fit into leads to initiatives that are much easier for people to join.
Meanwhile, the efforts by Asukanet and Mitsumura Printing offer a prompt to revisit a company’s existing lines of business when brainstorming new services. Everyday work in printing, decoration, and event operations is giving tangible form to fans’ names, messages, and venue memories. Together with the apparel and merchandise sales floors we covered in last week’s issue, we will continue observing the step-by-step actions of people who support their favorites.
Previous Issue: Skyticket Data Breach and New Moves on Apparel and Merchandise Sales Floors
Weekly Oshikatsu News brings you a weekly roundup of the intersection between oshikatsu and business. You can read the complete edition at the link below.
Read the October 16, 2026 issue of Weekly Oshikatsu News on note (in Japanese)
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