Category Archives: Travel

Game News, Travel

JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 Starts Tomorrow — Your Tokyo Guide

Leave a comment

The JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally is back — and this year, Pokémon’s 30th anniversary turns it into something special. Starting Thursday, 16 July, fans in Tokyo can ride the trains, collect stamps at 36 stations across the network, and walk away with exclusive prizes unavailable anywhere else. For Singapore families heading to Japan this school holiday season, the timing could not be better.

What Is the Pokémon Stamp Rally?

An annual summer tradition in Tokyo, the stamp rally is run in collaboration with JR East — Japan’s largest commuter-rail operator. Participants pick up a free stamp booklet at a major station, then travel the network collecting character stamps at each participating stop. Complete a course and present your booklet at the goal counter to claim a limited-quantity prize on a first-come-first-served basis. This year the rally runs from 16 July to 31 August 2026, with prize exchanges accepted through 1 September.

JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 participating station map Greater Tokyo
Image courtesy of JR East

2026 Theme: 30 Years of Starters

Pokémon’s 30th anniversary gives this year’s rally a bigger scope than usual. Stamps and prizes pull from the full franchise history, featuring starter Pokémon from every mainline generation — Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle through to the newest — alongside Captain Pikachu (star of the current TV anime), Koraidon and Miraidon from Scarlet and Violet, and newer anime faces Masqueranda and Weenibal. Pokémon-branded train wraps will also run on three of Tokyo’s busiest lines from August: Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, and Chuo Line Rapid.

Four Courses — Four Sets of Prizes

6-Station Course

Collect stamps from any 6 of the 36 participating stations and head to the goal counter near Oimachi Station. Rewards include a Captain Pikachu collectible figure from the Pokémon Frienda prize machine, a ticket-style commemorative sticker, and a Captain Pikachu sun visor — ideal for a Tokyo summer.

JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 6-station course prizes Captain Pikachu
Image courtesy of JR East

9-Station Course

A fixed nine-station route spotlights starter Pokémon — one per station, with a choice of stamp at each stop. The goal counter is at Tokyo Station. Complete it for a special starter Pokémon neck strap spanning every generation.

JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 9-station course prize neck strap
Image courtesy of JR East

36-Station Course

The full challenge: collect stamps at all 35 JR East stations and 1 Tokyo Monorail station on the list. Redeem the completed booklet at Tokyo Station for a limited-edition rally key ring exclusive to the 2026 event.

Shinkansen Course

Travelling beyond Greater Tokyo? Seven bullet-train stations across the Tohoku and Shinetsu regions also carry stamps. Finish the Shinkansen course for a dual-sided Koraidon and Miraidon medal made for the 30th anniversary.

Pokémon Trains and Photo Spots

Riding the Pokémon-wrapped trains is half the fun — and you can never quite predict which platform one will pull into. From August, special liveries appear on the Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku, and Chuo Line Rapid services. Dedicated photo spots are set up at Tokyo Station, Waters Takeshiba, and the Oimachi Tracks business park. Waters Takeshiba also hosts a unique layered stamp experience where four overlapping designs combine into a single picture, plus a Honda Koraidon display on the ground floor.

JR East Pokémon stamp rally 2026 Pokémon-wrapped train livery Yamanote Keihin-Tohoku Chuo
Image courtesy of JR East

Captain Pikachu Meet-and-Greet

A free Captain Pikachu character meet-and-greet is scheduled at two venues — advance reservation is required and no same-day slots are available.

  • Oimachi Tracks: 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 July
  • Waters Takeshiba: 1, 8, 15, 22 August

Up to four guests per group; 15 groups per session across four daily sessions. The reservation window for Waters Takeshiba opens 27 July at noon JST (11:00 AM SGT) through 29 July at noon. Full booking details are on the official JR East event site (Japanese).

JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 deluxe special stamp book with Pokémon pass case
Image courtesy of JR East

How to Participate — Tips for Singapore Visitors

Getting started requires nothing more than showing up at a major JR East station from 16 July and picking up a free stamp booklet at the dedicated desk. Your existing IC card or Suica — the same card you use to get around Tokyo — is all you need to hop between stations. A JR Pass also covers Shinkansen course stations.

If you want something more substantial to keep, a deluxe edition stamp booklet bundled with a Pokémon-themed pass case is available at NewDays convenience stores inside JR East stations for ¥2,420 (roughly S$21) while stocks last.

Prizes are limited and distributed first-come-first-served at the goal counter, so if the 36-station challenge is on the list, build a dedicated station-hopping day early in the rally rather than saving it for the final weeks of August. All prizes must be redeemed by 1 September 2026.

Looking for more Japan trip ideas? Browse our travel guides for Singapore gamers.

News, Travel

The World’s First Pokémon Airport Is Now Open in Japan

Leave a comment

There is now a Pokémon airport in Japan — and that is not a figure of speech. The Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport officially opened on 7 July 2026, making it the world’s first airport to carry the word “Pokémon” in its official name. It sits in Ishikawa Prefecture on the Noto Peninsula, and it will operate as a Pokémon experience destination through 30 September 2029.

Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport interior render showing all flying-type Pokémon murals and Pikachu on a plane
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Ishikawa Prefecture

Recovery Through Pokémon

The project’s roots go back to the devastating Noto Earthquake that struck Ishikawa Prefecture on 1 January 2024. The quake caused severe damage across the Noto Peninsula, and The Pokémon Company responded by donating 50 million yen to aid victims. The Pokémon With You Foundation — which has run charity initiatives in Japan since the 2011 Tōhoku disaster — partnered with the Ishikawa Prefectural Government to make this airport transformation happen, using Pokémon’s reach to draw tourists back to a region still rebuilding.

The result is a full airport rebrand. The official nickname has changed, Pokémon illustrations cover the exterior pillars, and the interior has been transformed from floor to ceiling.

Official teaser PV: Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport, opens 7 July 2026 — via Ishikawa Prefecture Official Channel on YouTube (Japanese)

What Is Inside

Real photo of Noto Satoyama Pokémon airport lobby showing murals and With You signage
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Ishikawa Prefecture

The second floor features murals of all 111 Flying-type Pokémon (excluding regional forms and Mega Evolutions). It is the kind of thing a Pokémon fan could spend an entire layover cataloguing. The first-floor lobby has life-size monuments of Pikachu, Plusle, and Minun — the trio associated with the Pokémon With You Foundation — which have already become the prime photo spot for arriving visitors.

Pull up the airport’s smartphone feature and you can trigger original short AR animations about Noto and the airport, bringing the illustrated Pokémon around you briefly to life.

Exterior of Noto Satoyama Pokémon airport with Pokémon-illustrated columns
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Ishikawa Prefecture

Exclusive Merchandise and Food

The airport sells exclusives that you can only get on site. Merchandise includes Pikachu and Charizard keychains bearing the airport’s NTQ IATA code, luggage belts, tote bags, and a T-shirt featuring the official key art. Items branded with an airport code are perennially popular with collector-travellers, and NTQ is going to be a standout pick.

Noto Satoyama Pokémon airport exclusive merchandise including keychains, luggage belt, tote bag and T-shirt
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Ishikawa Prefecture

Pokémon-themed food is available on site, and from mid-July 2026 the experience extends beyond the airport itself: Pokémon-wrapped buses will run between Wajima and Kanazawa on an existing route, plus a new route hitting Pokémon-related tourist sites across the Noto Peninsula.

Planning a Visit from Singapore

Noto Satoyama Airport (NTQ) is a regional airport that serves domestic routes within Japan, with ANA operating flights from Tokyo Haneda. Singapore fans would typically fly into Tokyo or Osaka and connect domestically, or fly into Komatsu Airport near Kanazawa and travel overland to the Noto Peninsula (roughly one to two hours). Kanazawa is already a popular stop on Japan itineraries for its Kenroku-en garden and seafood — the Noto Peninsula’s Pokémon airport is an easy extension of that trip.

The airport’s Pokémon makeover runs through 30 September 2029, giving Singapore fans a generous window to plan. For more Pokémon news and Japan travel reads, check out our travel section and latest Pokémon updates.

Manga Anime, Travel

Ghibli Park’s First Original Short Film Opens Tomorrow

Leave a comment

Studio Ghibli opens a new chapter — literally. From tomorrow, July 8, 2026, visitors to Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan can watch Night in the Valley of Witches (魔女の谷の夜), the first original animated short film that Studio Ghibli has ever created specifically for the park. It is a park exclusive: there is no streaming release, no theatrical run outside the park, and no plans for a wider rollout. If you want to see it, you need to be there.

What We Know About Night in the Valley of Witches

The film is co-directed by Goro Miyazaki and Akihiko Yamashita — two names that carry serious Ghibli pedigree. Goro Miyazaki (son of Hayao Miyazaki) previously directed Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill, and co-directed Earwig and the Witch. Akihiko Yamashita served as animation director on Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Ponyo, making this a reunion of deep Ghibli craft at both the directorial and animation level. The copyright credit reads: © 2026 Goro Miyazaki, Akihiko Yamashita/Studio Ghibli.

The story is set within the Valley of Witches (魔女の谷) area of Ghibli Park itself — a European storybook town inspired by the magical settings of Ghibli’s witch-themed films — bringing the physical park and the new animation into a single, intertwined experience. Further plot details have not been released, which is very much in the Ghibli tradition of minimal pre-release disclosure.

The Valley of Witches area at Ghibli Park, Nagakute City, Aichi
Image courtesy of Studio Ghibli / Ghibli Park

Where to Watch It and What Tickets You Need

The film screens at Cinema Orion, inside Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse (ジブリの大倉庫) — one of the five areas that make up Ghibli Park. To watch it, you need Ghibli Park admission that includes Grand Warehouse access. All Ghibli Park tickets require advance reservation; there are no same-day walk-in passes. Tickets for July 2026 screenings opened on May 10, 2026 via the official Ghibli Park website.

The premiere event on July 8 was a special, limited affair — just 150 tickets were made available, with a director stage greeting from Goro Miyazaki and Akihiko Yamashita. Regular screenings from July 8 onward continue as part of normal Grand Warehouse admission, no special ticket required beyond the Grand Warehouse entry.

The witch broom carousel in the Valley of Witches area at Ghibli Park
Image courtesy of Studio Ghibli / Ghibli Park

The Singapore Angle: Worth Planning a Japan Trip Around

Ghibli Park has already become one of the most-searched Japan travel destinations for Singapore visitors since it opened in 2022. A park-exclusive short that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world — and that comes from the same studio as Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, and Princess Mononoke — is exactly the kind of thing that makes a Japan trip feel unmissable rather than optional.

Practically: Ghibli Park is in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture, about 20 minutes by subway from Nagoya station. From Singapore, Nagoya is not directly served with regular Singapore Airlines routes, but it is easily reached by connecting through Tokyo or Osaka — and if you are already planning a trip to central Japan, Nagoya is an easy addition. From Tokyo, the Shinkansen Nozomi takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. From Kyoto or Osaka, it is under an hour.

The key caveat for Singapore visitors planning ahead: all Ghibli Park tickets require advance online reservation and can sell out weeks in advance. Check the official Ghibli Park English-language site for booking windows, which open monthly. For more Japan culture and travel content, browse our Japan travel picks.

Travel

Choo Choo! How to Book the “Day Out With Thomas” in Japan (2025/2026 Guide)

Leave a comment

If you’re a fan of Thomas & Friends, there is no bigger pilgrimage than the Oigawa Railway in Shizuoka, Japan. However, for non-Japanese speakers, the booking system can be a maze of Kanji.


We’ve broken down exactly how to secure your seats using the Official Urakata Booking Portal.
🚂 Step-by-Step Booking Guide


Step 1: Select Your Experience
On the landing page (https://thomas.daitetsu.jp/schedule/), you’ll see several options. Look for the “Day Out With Thomas” (きかんしゃトーマス号) banner.

Screenshot

Annotation: Look for the Thomas icon and click the blue button (詳細/予約 – Details/Reserve).

Step 2: Check the Calendar

Screenshot
  • Circle (○): Available.
  • Triangle (△): Limited seats (Book now!).
  • Cross (×): Sold out.
    Annotation: Click on your preferred date. If you aren’t staying in Shizuoka overnight, select the afternoon slot (usually around 1:20 PM or 2:00 PM).
Screenshot

Step 3: Login

You may need to login to buy the tickets. Create a new again using your SNS (Japanese term for social network service e.g Facebook, Line, Apple ID etc. )

Step 4: Enter Passenger Info

You will need to enter your name in Katakana (phonetic Japanese).
Tip: Use a free “English to Katakana” converter online. For the phone number, if your international number doesn’t fit, use your hotel’s phone number.

Step 4: Payment
The site accepts major international credit cards. Once confirmed, you will receive a QR code via email. This is your digital ticket—keep it safe!


🗺️ What to Do & See There

  • The Thomas Day Out Activity Area: Located at Senzu Station (and partly at Shin-Kanaya), this is the “hub.” You can get up close with Hiro, Percy, and James!
  • The Manual Turntable: Don’t miss this! Watching a massive steam-powered Thomas rotate on the manual turntable is a sight to behold.
  • Thomas Maintenance Factory: For a small fee at Shin-Kanaya, you can see Thomas being “fed” coal and prepped for his journey.
  • Bertie the Bus: Look out the window during your ride! Bertie the Bus often drives along the road parallel to the tracks to “race” the train.
    💡 GameTrader.SG Pro-Tips
    🌟 The “Day Trip” Secret:
    If you are coming from Tokyo or Osaka and not staying overnight in Shizuoka, always book the afternoon timing. >
    The journey from Tokyo takes about 2 to 2.5 hours via Shinkansen and local lines. A morning 10:30 AM departure is very stressful to catch. By booking the 1:20 PM or 2:00 PM slot, you have plenty of time to travel down, explore the Shin-Kanaya gift shops, and grab a Thomas-themed Bento box for lunch before boarding!