Tag Archives: Tokyo Travel

Fate/Grand Order Exhibition Opens in Tokyo — 11 Years of Chaldea Come to Roppongi Hills

Eleven years of Fate/Grand Order — the servants, the singularities, the heart-wrenching event stories, and the climactic conclusion of Part 2 — have been distilled into a single Tokyo exhibition that opened its doors this morning. Fate/Grand Order Exhibition: Stargazer’s Corridor (Japanese: 星見の回廊) is now running at Mori Arts Center Gallery on the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, and it runs through 14 September 2026. If a Japan trip is anywhere on your radar this summer, this is the pilgrimage.

Fate/Grand Order展 -星見の回廊- チケットCM — via 【公式】Fate/Grand Order チャンネル on YouTube

Seven Zones Trace the Whole Chaldean Journey

Organised by Aniplex, the exhibition lays out the breadth of FGO’s decade-plus lifespan across seven distinct zones that you walk through in sequence. The highlight — Zone 4, Chaldea’s Journey — features a 17-metre ceiling painting that frames Mash Kyrielight’s arc from debut to the finale of Part 2: Cosmos in the Lostbelt, accompanied by newly commissioned illustrations that were made specifically for this venue. Zone 5, the Stargazer’s Corridor itself, uses video projection to put you inside the final battle, and it’s the centrepiece the title promises.

Fate/Grand Order Exhibition Stargazers Corridor floor map showing all 7 zones
Image courtesy of TYPE-MOON / FGO PROJECT

The remaining zones are equally worth your time. Zone 1 opens with a premiere video made for the exhibition only. Zone 2, the Production Materials Room, surfaces the scripts, storyboards, and concept illustrations that shaped every chapter — rare stuff that FGO’s overseas player base has never had a chance to see in person. Zone 3 archives items and motifs from the event stories, while Zone 6 wraps up with a Memorial Message wall signed by the staff who built the game. Zone 7 is the FGO Store, selling event-exclusive goods bearing the newly commissioned main visual artwork.

Mash at the Centre — and the Art Tells the Story

Mash Kyrielight in Shielder armour holding a crystal star, FGO exhibition visual
Image courtesy of TYPE-MOON / FGO PROJECT

The main visual — illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi and finished by Hiroyoshi Koyama — foregrounds Mash standing in a field of flowers, and that choice telegraphs the exhibition’s emotional angle: this is FGO’s story told through its characters as much as its lore. Every zone loops back to the human (or quasi-human) relationships that made the writing land.

Mash Kyrielight in a white dress beside an ornate embroidery wheel, FGO exhibition art
Image courtesy of TYPE-MOON / FGO PROJECT

All visitors receive a booklet and a random bookmark — one of 12 designs — on entry. A weekly rotating set of A5 cards (14 designs in total) is also given out, so fans who visit more than once across the run have a reason to return.

Collab Café, In-Game Bonus, and What FGO Singapore Players Can Grab Now

Close-up of Mash Kyrielight's face in warm orange tones, FGO exhibition art
Image courtesy of TYPE-MOON / FGO PROJECT

A collaboration café called THE SUN & THE MOON operates on the same 52nd floor throughout the exhibition run (17 July – 14 September, 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM). A valid exhibition ticket or Roppongi Hills Tower entry ticket covers access — no separate booking, just show up. Menu specifics have yet to be detailed in the materials available, but expect FGO-themed drinks and desserts in line with the exhibition’s aesthetic.

For Singapore players who can’t make the trip: the official FGO game is running a commemorative in-game campaign (Japanese) tied to the opening. If you play the JP server, check the campaign page — there’s a pickup gacha and login-bonus rewards live now.

Practical Info: Tickets, Hours, and Getting There

Venue: Mori Arts Center Gallery, 52F Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: 17 July – 14 September 2026
Hours: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM (last entry 7:30 PM)
Access: Direct from Roppongi Station via the underground concourse (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line or Toei Oedo Line)
Tickets (day-of): ¥3,800 standard / ¥6,800 with merchandise bundle (layered acrylic block) — children of preschool age and under, free
Timed entry is in effect; book your slot via Mori Arts Center Gallery’s site or E-plus

Singapore fans flying to Japan this northern summer already have a packed itinerary — the Dragon Quest the DIVE exhibition is also running in Harajuku through early September. Two major Tokyo exhibitions in one trip is entirely doable.

Check out other events on GameTrader.SG for more Japan pop-culture coverage.

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

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.

Hatsune Miku Official Shop in Akihabara: Is It Worth It?

If you follow Hatsune Miku, you’ve probably seen the photos: a whole building in Akihabara wrapped in Miku and the Kagamine twins, with a giant “HATSUNE MIKU OFFICIAL SHOP IN AKIBA” banner over the entrance. I went looking for it on a recent Tokyo trip — and the honest version is shorter than the hype. It’s real, it’s official, and it’s worth knowing exactly what you’re walking into before you build a day around it.

Quick verdict: it’s a permanent official Miku corner on Level 2 of Don Quijote Akihabara, not a flagship megastore. It’s compact — think one well-stocked section, not a multi-floor experience. Not worth a special trip across Tokyo on its own, but if you’re already in Akiba (and as a Miku fan, you will be), it’s an easy, fun stop that’s open around the clock.

A walkthrough of the shop — via GsChannel on YouTube

Where it is and what makes it unusual

The shop sits on the 2nd floor (Level 2) of Don Quijote‘s Akihabara branch at 4-3-3 Sotokanda. Per the official Hatsune Miku blog (Japanese), the corner — branded “HATSUNE MIKU official shop in Akiba” — opened on 27 April 2024 as a permanent fixture.

That word “permanent” is the genuinely unusual part. Most official Miku retail in Japan is pop-up: limited-run fairs, anniversary booths, collab cafes that vanish after a few weeks. This one stays put. And because it lives inside a Don Quijote — Japan’s famously chaotic 24-hour discount chain — it inherits Donki’s hours. You can buy an official Nendoroid at 3am if that’s your life. I can’t think of another character shop where that’s true.

Inside the Hatsune Miku Official Shop in Akiba, with a painted sky ceiling and Kagamine Rin and Len wall art
Image: GameTrader.SG

What’s actually inside

The space leans into the theme hard: a painted blue-sky ceiling, the full Crypton/Piapro cast on the walls — Miku, the Kagamine twins Rin and Len, Megurine Luka, plus KAITO and MEIKO — and a “HATSUNE MIKU OFFICIAL SHOP IN AKIBA” graphic running right across the floor. It photographs much bigger than it feels in person.

Stock-wise, it’s mostly the small, giftable stuff: acrylic keychains, badges, phone straps, folding fans, stationery, apparel and plush, alongside glass cases of scale figures and deformed (chibi) figures. When I visited, scale figures ran from around ¥6,273 (roughly S$55) up to the big premium display pieces at ¥30,000–¥38,000 (north of S$300). The everyday goods are far gentler on the wallet — this is a place you can walk out of with a ¥700 keychain and be happy.

Hatsune Miku scale figures in a glass display case with Japanese yen price tags
Image: GameTrader.SG

The display cases of oversized deformed figures are a nice touch — they’re showpieces more than stock, and they make the corner feel like a proper official space rather than just a merch rack. A large designer figure (by illustrator CHANxCO) was on show when the shop first launched, per the official blog.

Display cases of deformed chibi Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin and Len figures inside the official shop
Image: GameTrader.SG

One thing to know: check Level 5 too

Here’s the bit that’s easy to miss. The Level 2 corner is the always-on permanent shop, but the same Don Quijote Akihabara periodically runs limited-time “Hatsune Miku Don Quijote Fair” collab events on a separate floor (Level 5), with newly drawn illustrations and fair-exclusive goods you won’t find downstairs. If you’re making the trip specifically for merch, it’s worth checking whether a fair is running during your dates — that’s where the collectible, time-limited items live.

What this means for Singapore fans

For SG Miku fans, the takeaway is simple: don’t fly in for this, but absolutely swing by if Akihabara is on your Tokyo itinerary — and it should be. Budget 15–20 minutes, go in expecting a tidy official corner rather than a flagship, and enjoy that you can drop in basically whenever, since it never really closes. The keychains, straps and stationery make easy souvenirs, and the prices on the small stuff are reasonable even before you factor in that there’s no equivalent permanent official Miku shop here at home.

The HATSUNE MIKU OFFICIAL SHOP IN AKIBA floor graphic running through the aisle
Image: GameTrader.SG

If you’re chasing more Japan store visits and gaming finds, browse our other guides. And if a Miku Don Quijote Fair lands while you’re in town, that’s the version actually worth planning around.