Chiikawa in Late 2026: The ANA 'Chiikawa Jet,' a Tokyo Skytree Takeover, and What Collectors Should Watch
Chiikawa, the cozy trio of Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi created by manga artist Nagano, is closing out 2026 with one of its biggest collaboration waves yet. All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced a branded "Chiikawa Jet" set to fly domestic routes from late October 2026, a Tokyo Skytree takeover is running through the end of October, and a fresh Kura Sushi campaign has landed in restaurants nationwide. For collectors of Japan's most beloved kawaii franchise, it is a busy season worth tracking.
Here is what has actually been confirmed across these announcements, and what it signals for the merch and figures that tend to follow.
The ANA 'Chiikawa Jet' Takes Flight
On August 3, 2026, ANA announced a special collaboration with Chiikawa headlined by a specially decorated aircraft. According to ANA, the Chiikawa Jet is a Boeing 767-300 (registration JA609A) carrying eight characters across its fuselage, framed by seasonal Japanese motifs. The two sides of the plane feature different designs, and ANA has teased a hidden four-leaf clover somewhere in the artwork. Service begins on domestic Japan routes in late October 2026, with the assigned flights varying day to day.
Onboard, ANA is rolling out Chiikawa-themed headrest covers in economy class (for in-flight use only, not to take home) and specially designed cups featuring Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi during beverage service. The airline has also confirmed that exclusive collaboration goods, including designs showing the characters in ANA uniforms, are planned for a later release, with product and pricing details to be announced. Travelers hoping to spot the jet can photograph it from airport observation decks and are advised to check ANA's flight information the day before to confirm the aircraft assignment.
Chiikawa Takes Over Tokyo Skytree
Running July 10 through October 31, 2026, the "Starfall Skytree and the Secret Island" event turns Tokyo Skytree into an island-adventure themescape. The collaboration spans the Tembo Deck, the 450-meter Tembo Galleria, and a ground-floor "SKYTREE SPACE," with themed installations, photo spots, and periodically changing exterior lighting. A special Chiikawa film screens roughly every 30 minutes on a panoramic screen 350 meters up.
Per the event details, a photo service on Tembo Galleria Floor 445 lets guests pose with the characters against the skyline for 1,800 yen per image, and an island-themed cafe on Floor 340 serves four signature drinks and food items at 1,100 yen each. The real draw for collectors is the exclusive merchandise line: pins, keychains, t-shirts, tote bags, caps, and towels, sold both at the ground-floor shop and online.
Kura Sushi and the Wider Merch Wave
The chaos does not stop at 450 meters. A Chiikawa collaboration with conveyor-belt chain Kura Sushi runs August 21 through September 30, 2026, pairing series-inspired menu items, such as octopus-costume-themed noodles and Usagi pancakes, with exclusive Bikkura Pon capsule prizes and spend-and-get gifts (a limited item per 3,000 yen spent, while supplies last). Together with the summer's Chiikawa Pocket app merch drop and the franchise's record-breaking first movie, the pattern is clear: Chiikawa demand keeps climbing, and character goods sell through fast.
What Chiikawa Collectors Should Watch
None of these collaborations are permanent, which is exactly why they matter to collectors. Airline amenities, event-exclusive pins, and restaurant prizes are produced in limited runs and rarely restocked, so aftermarket prices climb once a campaign ends. If you are traveling in Japan this autumn, the Skytree shop and Kura Sushi campaign are the easiest ways to grab officially licensed pieces before they disappear; for everyone else, the ANA merch line is the one to watch when details drop.
Chiikawa fans tend to love other cozy Japanese mascots too. If you are building a kawaii shelf and want something you can order worldwide today, Akibato stocks Hamtaro gashapon and acrylic charms, another gentle, hugely collectible Japanese character line in the same spirit, or you can browse all of Akibato's collectibles to find your next display piece.