Doraemon and Friends in Tokyo

Tokyo is going blue — and we don’t mean the skies. From March 2026 through September, the beloved robotic cat from the future has taken over Japan’s capital in the biggest Doraemon event ever staged. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just discovering the cultural phenomenon that has charmed Japan for over 50 years, 100% Doraemon and Friends in Tokyo is a once-in-a-visit experience you won’t want to miss.

Japan has always had a gift for turning pop culture into something genuinely extraordinary, and this event is no exception. Spanning six months across some of Tokyo’s most iconic neighbourhoods — from Shibuya and Roppongi to the waterfront at Ariake — the city has gone all-in on celebrating one of its most treasured characters in spectacular fashion.

The Main Event: 100% Doraemon & Friends in Tokyo

The centrepiece of it all runs from Friday, March 27 to Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Tokyo Dream Park EX Studio 7 in Ariake, Koto-ku — a sprawling venue purpose-built for Doraemon magic.

Venue details at a glance:

• Address: 3-3-8 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo
• Opening hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (last entry 5:00 PM)
• Access: ~5 min walk from Yurikamome Line “Tokyo Big Sight Station” | ~9 min from Kokusai-Tenjijo Station (Rinkai Line) | ~11 min from Tokyo Teleport Station

The event is produced by an all-star committee — TV Asahi, Fujiko Pro, Shogakukan, ADK Emotions, Shin-Ei Animation, and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions — and features four original Doraemon designs created exclusively for the Japanese venue:

• 🌸 Cherry Blossom Doraemon
• 🤼 Sumo Doraemon
• 🍙 Rice Ball Doraemon
• 🐕 Shiba Inu Doraemon

These Japan-only designs are wearable, collectible, and entirely unique to this event — you won’t find them anywhere else in the world.

Special TV Anime Episode: “Transformation! Metamorphosis Spray”

To celebrate the opening, a special Doraemon anime episode featuring the event’s original characters aired on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 5:00 PM on TV Asahi — and the good news for visitors is that you can watch it at the event venue from March 27 onwards.

The episode introduces a new secret gadget called the “Metamorph Spray.” When sprayed, the user can transform into anything they touch with their nose. In the story, Nobita returns home from school to find a large bird in his room, which turns out to be Doraemon in disguise. The gang then heads out to show Shizuka, where they encounter a foreign girl who is lost and unable to communicate. Doraemon transforms into a dog and uses his nose to track down her mother — until a chance encounter with a sumo wrestler at a shopping street event sends things hilariously sideways.

The episode weaves together themes of friendship, Japan’s four seasons, and traditional culture — exactly the spirit that makes Doraemon enduringly beloved.

Doraemon Takes Over Shibuya & Roppongi

Before the main event opened, Tokyo’s most iconic neighbourhoods got their own Doraemon takeover during the weekend of March 14–15, 2026.

At SHIBUYA109, a tiered stage featured a cast of distinctive Doraemons — including one dressed as Dracula and another as a ghost — drawing crowds throughout the weekend. Simultaneously, Roppongi Hills Arena hosted a jaw-dropping display: a 12-metre-tall Doraemon balloon flanked by more than 40 Doraemon figures decorating the precinct on a grand scale.

Event hours (now concluded):

• Saturday, March 14: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Sunday, March 15: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

The Drone Show That Lit Up Odaiba

On Saturday, March 7, Odaiba’s night sky became a 100-metre-tall canvas when 1,000 drones projected the four original Doraemon designs above Tokyo Bay — a first for Japan, having previously dazzled crowds in Hong Kong.

The show opened with Doraemon’s cheerful greeting before a giant “Time Tunnel” appeared, from which Doraemon emerged in his time machine to thunderous applause. The “100% Friends Gathering Bell” lit up the sky as Nobita, Gian, Suneo, Shizuka, and others appeared one by one and took flight with their bamboo copters. A special segment also depicted the world of the latest film, “Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s New Great Adventure in the South Seas,” currently showing in theatres.

About Doraemon

For the uninitiated: Doraemon is a Japanese manga series by Fujiko F. Fujio that began serialisation in 1970. The TV anime has aired on TV Asahi every Saturday at 5:00 PM since 1979, and the theatrical film series — now 45 films deep — is the highest-grossing Japanese film franchise of all time, surpassing 100 million cumulative viewers in 2013. In 2020, the series celebrated its 50th anniversary. Beloved by children and adults alike, Doraemon is as much a part of Japan as cherry blossoms and bullet trains.

Plan Your Visit

If you’re in Tokyo anytime between late March and the end of September 2026, 100% Doraemon & Friends in Tokyo deserves a spot on your itinerary. The Ariake venue is well-connected via multiple rail lines, conveniently close to other Odaiba attractions, and suitable for visitors of all ages. Merchandise featuring the four Japan-exclusive designs is available only at this event, making it a rare opportunity to take home something truly one-of-a-kind.

Come for Doraemon, stay for the magic — Tokyo’s most heartwarming event of 2026, Doraemon and Friends in Tokyo is waiting for you.