30th Anniversary of Disney Store Japan to be Celebrated with Touring Museum

To most of us around the world, it’s the dearly departed Disney Store. It’s something imitated but never duplicated by Target, past tense as much as Woolworth or Sears. The House of Mouse shuttered most stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe over the last couple years, ending a chapter of magic.

But in Japan, the chain survives and is continuing on like normal. While two locations closed in recent months, a major new anchor store opened in Tokyo, and the stores continue to release endlessly creative products.

Our envy level has been kicked up a notch: just hours ago, the Disney Store Japan announced a pop-up museum in Tokyo, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the store in Japan. It will eventually tour the rest of Japan.

If you’re reading from Japan, download the free Disney Store Club app. Just as you can reserve a Disney Store visit, you’ll see the option to book a spot at the Tokyo event. More details will be shared in app on August 12 at 10, and reservations open at August 17 at 12.

The pop-up museum will be open from August 21 to September 19, 2022 at the Disney Store flagship in Tokyo.

According to Japanese news outlet Travel Watch, later locations will be Nagasaki (October 7 to 30), Kagoshima (November 5 to December 4), Kanazawa (December 12 to January 15), Osaka (late January to February 2023), Sendai (late March to early April 2023), Okayama (mid-May to early June 2023), Nagoya (mid-June to early July 2023), and Chiba (late July to late August 2023).

The site claims a nine year tour, including to Japanese communities that used have Disney Store, but don’t anymore.

Updated, 8:11 am: Adding additional information about the tour.