New system would prevent non-residents from buying certain items from Pokémon Center Online.

Scalping is becoming an increasingly big problem for the Pokémon franchise in Japan, and we’ve been seeing increasingly inventive attempts to counter resellers’ attempts to snatch up in-demand items and flip them for profit, such as stores making shoppers pass a Pokémon quiz before they can make a purchase or taking scissors to the packaging afterwards. Now the Pokémon Company itself is considering possibly the strictest measure yet: requiring would-be Pokémon card buyers to show a government-issued ID card before buying packs.

While Pokémon is an even bigger deal in its home country than in the many other nations around the world where it’s phenomenally popular, this wouldn’t be a card issued by the Japanese government specifically for Poké-purchases. In a statement posted to the official Pokémon Trading Card Game website on Thursday, the company says that it is looking into requiring buyers to confirm their identity via their My Number Card. Introduced in 2016, the My Number Card is an ID card that includes the bearer’s name, address, date of birth and photo, along with a 12-digit unique personal identification number.

As of 2021, My Number Cards also include an embedded IC chip, and it’s this technological feature that the Pokémon Company wants to apply to the purchase of Pokémon cards via the Pokémon Center Online, the Pokémon franchise’s official online store. Under the system, would-be buyers would use a third-party service to read their My Number Card’s IC chip and confirm their identify, after which they would be authorized to make the applicable purchases.

▼ A My Number Card interfacing with a smartphone

The Pokémon Company isn’t planning to make My Number Card verification a requirement for any and all online purchases, but the announcement says it would be applied to “the purchase and lottery registration for certain items,” most likely referring to new releases and high-demand items (which are often offered through a lottery system in which purchase rights are randomly awarded if demand is expected to be much greater than supply).

Ostensibly, this system would allow the Pokémon Company to more easily identify scalpers who are buying in bulk and block them from making further purchases. However, there are other groups which would also be shut out from making purchases by a My Number requirement, starting with people who aren’t Japanese residents. My Number Cards are only issued to Japanese citizens and foreign residents of Japan, so tourists or overseas shoppers would be out of luck. This might actually be an intended effect of the system, though, as there’s a perception in Japan that foreign resellers make up a sizable portion of the scalper demographic.

Non-residents wouldn’t be the only ones affected by this system, though. Japanese citizens/residents aren’t legally required to have a My Number Card, and need to file application paperwork in order to obtain one. As such, there’s a portion of the Japanese population that doesn’t have a My Number Card yet, and simply uses other forms of ID, such as a driver’s license, insurance card, or foreign resident card, instead. My Number Cards also aren’t normally issued to children under 15 (though that probably won’t make a difference for buying things from the Pokémon Center Online, since kids that young won’t have their own credit card either).

The Pokémon Company says it’s also planning to make My Number Card identification verification a requirement for registration for certain official Pokémon Card Game tournaments in Japan. This seems like it could present a problem for younger competitors, but it’s likely that official registration requires a parent or guardian’s consent, and so the adult’s My Number Card would be used as a proxy form of identification.

The Pokémon Company’s announcement says that the goal of the My Number system would be to “ensure fair opportunities and safe, secure service to all customers,” and while the Pokémon Card Game website says that they are “looking into the introduction” of the system, the Pokémon Company’s official Twitter account is firmer in its declaration that they “are planning to introduce” a My Number Card requirement. The system is projected to be in place as early as August, and with application processing time sometimes taking up to two months, passionate fans will need to get their paperwork started soon.

Source: Pokémon Trading Card Game official website, Pokémon Company official Twitter account via Kinisoku
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Insert images: Pakutaso, SoraNews24
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Ikebukuro Pokémon superstore and Pikachu dessert cafe won’t be reopening until nearly half a year after murder.

In late March, the Pokémon Center superstore in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro neighborhood, also known as the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, became the scene of a tragedy as a 21-year-old worker was stabbed and murdered. The store, as well as the Pikachu Sweets cafe located a short distance away within the same shopping center, were immediately closed down for an indefinite period of time, and a number of events scheduled for April were cancelled at all other branches of the Pokémon Center chain, which has locations across Japan.

Initially, it seemed as if the Ikebukuro Pokémon Center might be reopening in early May, to coincide with the resumption of in-store events as well as Japan’s Golden Week spring vacation period. Golden Week came and went with the store’s shutters still closed, however, and they’re going to remain shut for several months more, as the Pokémon Company has announced that the Ikebukuro Pokémon Center will not be reopening until “around September.” The same timetable has been announced for the reopening of the Pikachu Sweets cafe, which has also remained closed since the incident.

▼ Pikachu Sweets is located on the same floor of the Sunshine City shopping mall as the Ikebukuro Pokémon Center, with the two stores less than a minute’s walk away from each other, but there is no indication that either the victim or murderer was at the cafe on the day of the stabbing.

No statement has been made about whether there will be any changes to the stores’ physical layouts, admission procedures, or any other aspects of its operations. With the murderer of the victim being an ex-boyfriend who was stalking her, the stabbing hasn’t been perceived as a sign of violence related towards Pokémon Center employees or Pokémon fans themselves, but the stabbing was still a shocking demonstration of vulnerabilities in the store’s security protocols, and with Pokémon Centers regularly being packed with customers, many of them children, on weekends and holidays, the Pokémon Company is no doubt feeling a need to rethink and retool how it handles guest safety issues.

Source: Pokémon Center official website (1, 2)
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Transforming iconic characters into delicious works of art.

Pokémon is a beloved franchise, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in Japan who has not heard of it, even if they have never personally interacted with any of its media. Through collaborations with famous brands from all areas of the market, the cute and charming character designs can be seen in many places throughout the country.

Despite both being of Japanese origin, the combination of a 161-year-old traditional Japanese confectionery maker and an electric mouse and its friends may not be the natural pairing for most people. However, over the last few years, the shop Shichijo Kanshundo has been releasing delightful treats that blend history with pop culture, and from May 11, they have expanded that lineup with another set of four Pokémon kyo-gashi (traditional Kyoto-style sweets).

The shop is renowned for its jonamagashi, which are handmade by craftsmen one by one. While these sweets, traditionally served during tea ceremonies, typically reflect the changing seasons or classical poetry, Shichijo Kanshundo is using their delicate artistry to bring Eevee and Poltchageist into the physical world.

The Eevee sweet is crafted using nerikiri, a traditional mixture of sweet white bean paste, starch syrup, and gyuhi (glutinous rice flour) that artisans sculpt by hand into intricate, soft shapes. Poltchageist is made as a jonyo manju, a light, fluffy steamed bun made with yam, sugar, and joyo-ko (fine rice flour).

These two Pokémon join two others that were previously released to form this new set of four: Shaymin (Land Forme) and Oricorio (Sensu Style). Shaymin is a kinton, made by crumbling white bean paste or nerikiri into a soboro (ground/crumb-like) state and applying it around a core of bean paste. Oricorio, on the other hand, is expressed using uiro, a Japanese sweet made by adding sugar and water to rice flour, among other ingredients, and steaming it until firm, which results in a chewy texture. The set costs 2,916 yen (US$18) and, since they’re made without unnecessary preservatives, are best enjoyed immediately.

Catching these sweets requires a little bit of extra planning, because the physical store in Kyoto only sells these sets on their special sales event on the seventh of every month, so starting June 7, visitors will be able to pick some up on the afternoon stroll through one of Kyoto’s most historic neighborhoods near Sanjusangendo Temple.

There is another method to get your hands on them earlier: you can order them online and receive them directly at your home, although they will be delivered frozen. However, that also means you don’t need to enjoy them all at once, and can take your time to savor the flavors over a period of 14 days from the date of shipment.

If you do happen to find yourself in the Higashiyama area in Kyoto on the seventh of a month, though, be sure to stop by the shop early. These limited-edition treats are a wonderful way to experience Kyoto’s traditional craftsmanship, even if you’re not a dedicated Pokémon fan.

Store information
Shichijo Kanshundo / 七條甘春堂
Address: Kyoto-fu, Higashiyama-ku, Shichijo-doori, Nishinomon-cho 551-banchi
京都市東山区七条通西の門町551番地
Open 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Closed January 1
Website

Related: Shichijo Kanshundo online store
Source: PR Times via Japaaan
Images: PR Times
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Renovations wrapping up in Tokyo, new menu items on their way to Osaka too.

If you’re a Pokémon fan, heading to Japan’s Pokémon Cafe as soon as possible probably seems like a no-brainer. However, if you can hold out for a few more weeks, you’ll be rewarded for your patience, as there’s a slew of brand-new, incredibly adorable new items being added to the menu.

The arrival of the new entree, dessert, and drink options coincides with this month’s grand reopening of the Pokémon Cafe Tokyo. At the time of its opening in 2018, Japan’s first permanent Pokémon restaurant was already an awesome place to visit, and the newly redone interior will feature even more species of Pokémon in its art and decorations.

Among the menu items making their debut is the Chocolate and Berry Pikachu Parfait, a mixture of sweet, fruity, and creamy flavors topped with strawberries and a Pikachu made of mousse with chocolate facial features.

Continuing with the sweet treats, there’s also the Eevee Colorful Fruit Pancake, which gives a nod to Eeevee’s many possible evolutions with a rainbow of dried fruit pieces and recreates the Pokémon’s tuft of fluffy fur with Mascarpone cream.

We’d be the last ones to criticize fans for ordering double dessert, (our independent research has found that it’s the most important meal of the day), but we’d highly recommend saving room for some savory stuff too, like the Pikachu and Pichu Friends Curry Plate, with a Pikachu-shaped serving of saffron rice and a Poké Ball-style hamburger steak.

The sleepiest Pokémon couldn’t be bothered to wake up for the Napping Snorlax Teriyaki Burger, but he does at least let you use his tummy for the top bun of this teriyaki chicken and scrambled egg sandwich, and he contributes some carrot Zs to the accompanying veggie mix.

Rounding out the new entree choices is the Mimikyu Disguise Omelet, recreating the mysterious Ghost/Fairy-type’s covering in egg form, with a salad and cup of corn chowder, with Pokémon-shaped pasta, on the side.

And last, to wash everything down there’s the new Go! Greninja! White Peach Smokescreen Drink. Floating in the glass is a gelatin Water Shuriken, and the Pokémon Cafe promises that the drink also shows off Greninja’s Smokescreen ability, which could mean that it has some sort of foamy or cotton candy-cloud creating effect.

The visual appeal of dining at the Pokémon Cafe isn’t limited to the food on your plate or the art of the walls, either. Seatings are done in set time blocks, and each of them includes a visit by some species of Pokémon. To celebrate the debut of the new Pikachu parfait, there’s also a new show, Let’s Make a Pika Pika Parfait, a 10-minute performance featuring a trio of culinary Pikachus.

▼ From left to right these are Waitress Pikachu, Chef Pikachu, and Patissier Pikachu, but they also look like they could be the panel of a Pokémon-themed Iron Chef reboot (which someone should make immediately).

▼ The same three also appear on special Pokémon 30th anniversary stickers given out randomly with drink orders.

Prices for the above items range from 1,375 yen (US$9) for the Greninja drink to 2,090 yen for the desserts and 2,530 yen for everything else. The new menu items will be available at both the Tokyo and Osaka Pokémon Cafes starting June 17, which is also the grand reopening date for the renovated Tokyo branch, which has been closed since late March.

Related: Pokémon Cafe
Source: Pokémon Cafe (1, 2, 3)
Top image: Pokémon Cafe
Insert images: Pokémon Cafe (1, 2)
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Scooby, Scooby-Doo, where are you? Ah, you’re in Japan!

Over the past few years, Japan has become one of the world’s most popular destinations for international travelers, with everyone from overseas otaku to major celebrities putting it on their travel itineraries. And soon Japan will be adding a few more high-profile guests, with the announcement of a new Scooby-Doo animated series that’s not only set in Japan, but animated by a major anime studio.

Warner Bros. has unveiled Yokoso Scooby-Doo, a new series starring the famous mystery-solving pooch, describing the premise as:

“While visiting Japan on the ultimate foodie adventure, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy unwittingly unleash hundreds of mythical monsters that are causing trouble across the country. With the help of Scooby’s uncle, Daisuke-Doo, along with new friends, a magical girl Yume and gadget whiz Takumi, the group embarks on an all-new mystery filled with monster chasing and fun chaos.”

あのハンナ・バーベラの名作『弱虫クルッパー』こと『スクービー・ドゥ』が…日本にやって来た！？
しかも日本アニメっぽく！？
最新作『YOKOSO SCOOBY DOO！』は
アメリカ限定完全無料配信サービス
『tubi』にて配信決定

日本の妖怪からも逃げまくるシャギーとスクービーを見逃すな！ pic.twitter.com/MIXdfpL2RA

— カートゥーン大好きトゥン子さん@海外アニメ紹介！ (@newofcartoon) May 18, 2026

While Warner Bros. Animation is listed as the series’ producer, the company has announced that the visuals will come from OLM. Originally named Oriental Light and Magic, OLM is a Tokyo-based anime studio that was founded in 1990, and whose credits include work on Berserk, Inazuma Eleven, and Yo-kai Watch. They’re most famous, though, as the studio that’s been animating the Pokémon anime, all the way since its beginning in 1997. Yokoso Scooby-Doo will also be directed by Itsuro Kawasaki, director of the Pokémon Origins anime.

▼ Yokoso Scooby-Doo (meaning “Welcome, Scooby-Doo”) appears to be a reworking/retitling of the Go-Go Mystery Machine series that Warner Bros. originally announced in 2024.

2024年に発表された
日本を舞台にした「スクービードゥー」の新作「GO GO MYSTERY MACHINE」が
『YOKOSO SCOOBY DOO！』色々と変わって発表

しかも制作はワーナーと日本の「株式会社オー・エル・エム」(アニポケ作ってる会社)と共同

絵柄も何となく日本アニメっぽい pic.twitter.com/l4Ijqi3u1I

— アクタレマン (@akutareman) May 18, 2026

Looking at the preview visual for Yokoso Scooby-Doo (or maybe we should call it the “key art,” in keeping with anime industry jargon), the goofy-grin Shiba inu is, ostensibly, Scooby’s uncle, Daisuke-Doo. The series’ version of the Mystery Machine sports a cherry blossom design on its fascia-mounted spare tire cover (although in orange instead of sakura-pink), and the van even sports a yellow license plate of the type used by Japan’s kei jidosha class of sub-compact cars.

Yokoso Scooby-Doo will stream exclusively on Tubi in North America, while international distribution will be through Cartoon Network. Frank Welker and Matthew Lillard will reprise their roles as Scooby and Shaggy, respectively, and there’s been no word yet about a Japanese-language dub. There’s also no announced release date yet, but if you’re in the mood for anime takes on classic American cartoon characters right now, there’s the new Looney Tunes anime series to watch.

Source: Variety
Top image ©SoraNews24
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Special sweets designed to satisfy your sweet tooth and cool you off in the summer heat.

This year is Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, and the franchise is celebrating in style at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, with the hotel offering amazing Pokémon-themed rooms including one with 30 Pikachu plushies to keep guests company during their stay. But what if you’ve already got a place to sleep in Tokyo? Does that mean you have to miss out on the collaboration’s fun?

Not at all, because the Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s restaurants are also part of the party, and they’re offering both sweet and savory Pokémon-themed eats all summer long!

Starting things off is the Sora Tobu Pikachu (“Pikachu in the Sky”) Gourmet Burger Set, with a Pikachu-yellow bun, the Hyatt’s original barbecue sauce, and jalapeno pickles. It’s accompanied by curry powder French fries and chilled corn soup, and to drink you get a “Pikachu soda,” which looks to be an ice cream float with boba-style tapioca balls too.

The Pikachu burger is available in the hotel’s Oak Door steakhouse restaurant, but just like wild Pokémon appear in different parts of their regions, there are other Pikachus at the Hyatt’s Fiorentina cafe, which is adding a Sora Tobu Pikachu Summer Parfait to its menu.

Since this is a parfait to be enjoyed during one of Japan’s notoriously hot and humid summers, this dessert bypasses heavy chocolate or caramel sauces. Instead, the key ingredients are mascarpone mousse, peach gelatin infused with butterfly pea, and coconut gelatin, for visuals evocative of a bright blue sky and puffy clouds. The “balloons” that are carrying Pikachu on this flight are actually orbs of frozen mousse in mango, orange, pistachio, blueberry, and raspberry flavors.

And there’s still one more place to score some Pokémon treats. Head to the Hyatt’s Fiorentina Pastry Boutique and you can pick up a Pokémon 30th Anniversary Mango Cake.

This fancy cake has layers of mango and coconut jelly inside almond sponge cake, topped with mango mouse and a bouquet’s worth of mango slices arranged in the shape of roses. But even with all those floral flourishes, fans’ eyes will be drawn to the pair of Pikachu chocolates.

For those looking for permanent reminders of their Pokémon sweets sessions, Fiorentina can also supply Grand Adventure Sweets Trunk Cases, with Pikachu mango cookies, Eevee coffee chocolate cookies, and Gen-1 starter trio chocolates in a bundle with a special tote bag and lunchbox-style case.

…or Grand Adventure Baton Chocolate sets, with an assortment of gourmet chocolates and the tote.

▼ The cookies and starter trio chocolates can also be purchased by themselves, if you’ve already got your carrying equipment needs sorted.

As for pricing, the intricate decadence of the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Mango Cake puts it at 12,600 yen (US$81). The Pikachu burger set, meanwhile, is 6,600 yen, and the parfait 3,520. The Sweets Trunk Case and Baton Chocolate sets are 7,500 and 6,800 yen, respectively. The by-themselves chocolates are 2,200 yen, and Pikachu and Eevee cookie boxes are 1,200 each.

The Pokémon/Grand Hyatt Tokyo collaboration runs from June 20 to August 31, but reservations can already be made for the burger, parfait, and cake through the hotel’s website. Reservations are highly recommended for the burger and parfait, as they’re limited to quantities of 20 each daily, and reservations of at least three days in advance are required to purchase the Pikachu cake.

And if Tokyo doesn’t figure into your Japan travel plans this summer, or if you’ve already got all your meals in the capital planned out, there’s some cool new Pokémon stuff happening in another part of the country too.

Related: Grand Hyatt Tokyo website
Source, images: PR Times
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Anime is known for having plenty of long-running stories, mainly because the manga publication wants to get as much money as possible, and the narrative structure reflects this. The result has been a lot of insincere and lackluster endings, such as what happened with Naruto. On the other hand, this does give fans more content of their favorite shows, and when done well, it just means that there is more of a good thing.

I’m not kidding, I saw a person going into the Men’s room yesterday searching for one. It’s absolutely nuts! How many of you are playing Pokemon Go?

Pikachu and Gyarados invite you to come by for a relaxing soak as Noto town recovers from disaster.

A lot of storylines in the Pokémon anime and video games follow the journeys of Pokémon Trainers as they roam far and wide in search of rare Pocket Monsters as part of their training to become Pokémon Masters. No matter how strong your resolve is to be the very best, though, eventually you’re going to need to take some time to stop and rest along the way. Likewise, if your real-life travels take you to Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, there’s now a Pokémon-themed hot spring where you can rejuvenate yourself.

You’ll find this place in the town of Nanao, on the Noto Peninsula. This part of the prefecture is part of the collection of communities called Wakura Onsen, which has a number of onsen (hot spring) inns. Many of these facilities were damaged during a powerful earthquake that struck the peninsula in 2024, but the latest sign of the region’s recovery comes with the completion of renovations to the ashiyu foot bath in Yuttari Park. Earlier this month, the foot bath reopened following renovations, and visitors can now enjoy a soak in the company of several different Pokémon, including Pikachu, Gyarados, Vaporeon, and Psyduck!

The photos of the now-open facility show that the designers have done a fantastic job delivering on the promises of the concept renders. The footbath uses legitimate hot spring water, but unlike with a full-fledged onsen, visitors don’t have to be nude to make use of it. Just slip off your shoes and socks, the slide your feet in. Since you’re not completely submerged, you won’t need anything more than a hand towel or handkerchief to dry yourself off afterwards either, making this equally appealing to those looking for a long soak or sightseers who just want a quick Poké-relaxation session before moving on to the rest of their itinerary (such as tracking down the area’s Pokémon manhole covers). Aside from the obvious appeal of the Pokémon statues and murals, the foot bath also faces out onto the waters of the bay adjacent to the park, so you get some beautiful natural scenery to admire as well.

And as cool as the place is, it won’t cost you a single yen to use. Wakura Pokémon Footbath is completely free, and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Location information
Wakura Pokémon Footbath / わくらポケモン足湯
Address: Ishikawa-ken, Nanao-shi, Wakuramachi Hibari 1-1
石川県七尾市和倉町ひばり1丁目1番地
Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Source, images: PR Times
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Pokémon is one of the most successful franchises of all time. Spawning a massive empire that includes movies, television, trading cards, mobile games, manga, and mountains of merchandise, the series easily dominated most aspects of pop culture. However, it's arguably strongest in the video game department, where it has been releasing highly successful, borderline addictive games for the last twenty years.