The Wish Pokémon has finally made its Pokémon Pokopia debut — and it arrives bearing a classic piece of Japanese culture that Singapore fans will recognise immediately.

The Wish Upon a Jirachi event is now live in Pokémon Pokopia on Nintendo Switch 2, starting today, 23 June 2026, and running until 8 July at 4:59 a.m. local time. During the event, Jirachi appears at a rebuilt Pokémon Center in your town, kicking off a limited-time quest tied to Japan’s beloved Tanabata (七夕) star festival tradition — the same one where people write wishes on colourful tanzaku papers and hang them from bamboo every 7 July.

What Is the Wish Upon a Jirachi Event in Pokémon Pokopia?

The event’s full Japanese name is ジラーチのキラキラたんざくあつめ — roughly, “Jirachi’s Sparkling Tanzaku Collection.” Tanzaku are the small paper strips people write wishes on during Tanabata, and the event leans into that theme throughout its quest structure and rewards. It wraps up just before 7 July, giving it a natural Tanabata cadence.

Mechanically, Jirachi hands you a recipe for Wish Notes (the Pokopia take on tanzaku). Craft them at a workbench, then fulfil requests from the Pokémon living in your town. Each completed request transforms a Wish Note into a Sparkling Wish Note, which you exchange with Jirachi for exclusive star-themed furniture. According to Nintendo’s official event page and Famitsu (Japanese), the event is available in standard towns and shared multiplayer “fresh towns,” but not on Cloud Islands.

How to Unlock Jirachi in Your Town

A few things need to be in order before Jirachi will show up:

• Update Pokémon Pokopia to version 1.1.0
• Complete the main “important wish” story quest
• Rebuild at least one Pokémon Center in your town
• Launch the game while connected to the internet (the event uses real-world date authentication)
• Make sure your Nintendo Switch 2 clock is set to the actual current time

The good news: once you befriend Jirachi before the event closes, it stays in your town permanently even after 8 July.

All the Star-Themed Furniture Up for Grabs

Each Sparkling Wish Note unlocks one furniture piece. The full event reward set is:

• Star closet
• Starry-sky bed
• Cloud table
• Jirachi Lamp
• Moon clock
• Star mat
• Star wall decoration
• Telescope
• Cloud cannon

Placing the star closet, starry-sky bed, cloud table, and Jirachi Lamp together unlocks the “Surrounded by Stars” habitat bonus — note that the Jirachi Lamp needs an electricity connection to complete it.

Also: A Nintendo Switch 2 + Pokopia Bundle Drops on 2 July

Separately, Nintendo has a Nintendo Switch 2 bundle that includes a digital copy of Pokémon Pokopia launching on 2 July 2026. If you have been waiting to pick up the console, that is well-timed — though you will need to move quickly to rebuild your Pokémon Center and catch Jirachi before the 8 July deadline. Check local retailers for SGD pricing.

Last Words

Tanabata is one of Japan’s most loved seasonal traditions, and it is a familiar one for Singapore fans of Japanese culture — from department store decorations to Japanese school events. Seeing it woven into Pokémon Pokopia’s first post-launch limited event adds a lovely layer of meaning for SG players who grew up with both Pokémon and Japanese seasonal customs. The event is live now and runs until 8 July — make your wishes count. Check out more game news on GameTrader.