Just in time for the release of ‘Doraemon: Nobita's New Dinosaur’ on August 7 – along with the character’s 50th anniversary – ¥300 discount-shop 3Coins is offering an adorable lineup of exclusive items themed on our favourite blue robot cat. All the products feature summery illustrations of Doraemon and his younger sister Dorami. The first batch was released on July 23, while the second collection will be available at all 3Coins stores across Japan from August 1 (August 8 in Okinawa).
The merch, exclusively designed for 3Coins, includes backpack-style water guns (¥550), mini tote bags (¥330), plastic cups (¥330), plastic plate and cutlery sets (¥550), and other outdoor goodies for summer.
If you were planning to just walk into the store and pick up all your favourite Doraemon merch, we have to disappoint you. Doraemon is one of Japan’s most popular characters, so hordes of shoppers are expected to flock to the stores on the release day. To keep crowds small and curb the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus, entry to the stores will be restricted and tickets will be distributed via a lottery system.
To enter the lottery, you’ll need to have a Line account. Select your nearest 3Coins store on the company site here (Japanese only) and click on the grey button that reads ‘ドラえもんin 3COINS QRコードはこちら’. Scan the QR code with your smartphone and follow the on-screen instructions.
Note that you can only make one registration per 3Coins outlet. To snag the items releasing on August 1, you can apply for a store entry ticket until 6pm on July 31. At 7pm the night before, you’ll get a Line message letting you know whether you’re one of the lucky ticket winners. If you’re eligible for a ticket, you’ll be given a specific time to come to the store and make your purchase.
These highly coveted backpack-style Doraemon water guns are set to be restocked on August 8 and 22, and you’ll be able to apply for entry tickets to purchase them in the two days before each restock.
Click here for more information (Japanese only), and here for the full lineup of Doraemon goods.
Check our guide on how to go out safely in Tokyo, or anywhere for that matter.
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