Sanrio’s Pompompurin Goes for Gold in New Official Team Japan Merch Collab
Image by James RichardsonSanrio and Team Japan have announced a new Pompompurin merchandise collaboration that sees the adorable puppy don sportswear whilst trying his hand at a number of different sports.
The collaboration has been created ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, which will bring the competition back to Japan for the first time since the 1994 Hiroshima Games.
Held every four years, the Asian Games are one of the world’s largest multi-sport events, with the 2026 competition featuring 43 sports and 469 events across Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya and surrounding locations from September 19 through October 4.
Pompompurin enters the collaboration during one of the biggest years in the character’s history, celebrating his 30th anniversary after once again being crowned Sanrio’s most popular character.
The golden retriever received 7,135,114 votes in the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking, securing first place for the second consecutive year and the fifth time overall.
For the Team Japan campaign, Pompompurin appears in newly created artwork showing him taking part in several sports, with the same illustrations forming the basis of the initial merchandise range.
The “Team Japan x Pompompurin Medal Plush,” priced at ¥4,950 (approx. $31 USD / £23 GBP), shows Pompompurin proudly holding a gold medal and serves as the largest plush release in the first wave.
The smaller “Medal Mascot,” priced at ¥2,970 (approx. $19 USD / £14 GBP), gives him all three gold, silver and bronze medals, while the Cheer Mascot is also priced at ¥2,970 (approx. $19 USD / £14 GBP) and shows him supporting Team Japan with pom-poms.
Seven “Face Towels,” each priced at ¥2,970 (approx. $19 USD / £14 GBP), feature Pompompurin competing in track and field, swimming, judo, table tennis, volleyball and esports, alongside a seventh design bringing the different sporting illustrations together.
“Acrylic Keychains,” priced at ¥990 (approx. $6 USD / £5 GBP) each, use individual versions of the track and field, swimming, judo, table tennis, volleyball and esports artwork, giving fans six different designs to choose from.
This is also only the beginning of the collaboration, with additional merchandise including T-shirts, can badges and clear files already planned for a later wave.
Advance orders for the first wave are currently open through TBS Shopping until August 31 at 11:59 PM JST, and pre-ordered items are currently expected to begin arriving from late September through early October.
General retail sales are scheduled to begin in Japan on September 19 through locations including TBS Store, Kiddy Land Osaka Umeda, Kiddy Land Nagoya Parco, select MEGA SPORTS and AEON stores, and the Tokyo Character Street Wagon POP UP SHOP.
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