"Mejirushi Accessories," which you enjoy by attaching small charms to your belongings like umbrellas, plastic bottles, and pouches, are gaining popularity.
A variety of products are being developed, centered on character-motif items, and on social media, posts showing multiple charms combined or favorites lined up and collected have become common.
In a trend survey conducted by FURYU Corporation in the first half of 2026 targeting about 1,800 members of Gen Z, "Mejirushi Accessories" were ranked 11th in the "Cute x Trend Comprehensive Ranking" and 5th in the "Product/Experience Category." (Survey by FURYU Kawaii Institute)
From mere markers for personal belongings to collecting and arranging in one's own way, the ways to enjoy Mejirushi Accessories have expanded. Why are they so supported now?
This time, while exploring the background of their popularity, we will interpret consumption trends such as "collecting," "decorating," and "carrying around" and consider hints that can be applied to corporate product planning, promotions, and sales floor development.
In the first place, "Mejirushi Accessory®" are capsule toy products developed by Bandai. A feature is that they can be attached to umbrella handles, plastic bottles, pouches, etc., using the included silicone parts or lobster clasps, and the first series was released in June 2020.
*The name and logo of "Mejirushi Accessory®" are registered trademarks of Bandai Co., Ltd.
Although they were originally items for identifying one's belongings, products with various motifs such as Sanrio, Disney, anime/games, and food have now appeared. Uses have diversified further, not just using them as markers, but also combining multiple items to decorate belongings or lining them up as a collection.
The places they can be attached are not limited to umbrellas and plastic bottles. People can be seen enjoying them by attaching them to various everyday items such as bags, pouches, stationery, portable fans, and lipsticks. The high degree of freedom to choose for yourself "where to attach them" is also a feature of Mejirushi Accessories.
Since their appearance in 2020, Mejirushi Accessories have expanded to include various characters and motifs. The background to their growing popularity in recent years also seems to lie in the spread of ways to enjoy "incorporating favorite things into familiar items and carrying them around," such as bag deco, charm cosmetics, and "nui-katsu" (plushie activities).
It is not just about purchasing and owning items, but also combining them in your own way, using them in daily life, and showing them on social media. The fact that these consumer behaviors overlap with the features of Mejirushi Accessories is also an important point when considering their current popularity.
So, what exactly is it about them that attracts people? We will look at this from four perspectives.
From the name Mejirushi Accessory, many people might imagine them as "something to identify my belongings." However, it seems that the current popularity is not necessarily supported only by practicality.
In a survey conducted by Mynavi News in July 2026, the most common reason for collecting Mejirushi Accessories was "I like the character" at 41.1%. "I wanted to use them as a mark for my umbrella" was 8.9%.
Attaching a favorite character to items used daily, like bags or pouches.
Unlike carrying around large items, subtly incorporating your "favorites" into your daily life is likely one of the reasons Mejirushi Accessories are so well-supported.
This way of enjoying your favorite characters—not just "seeing/collecting" them, but carrying them around in your daily life—is also common in "nui-katsu" (carrying around plushies).
A connection with the brand or character is born not only at the moment of purchasing the product but also in daily life thereafter. Such "connections that last after purchase" can also be said to be a feature of Mejirushi Accessories.
▼Related Article: Gen Z hooked on "Nui-katsu" - The expanding daily experience with "oshi" (favs)
Another feature is the price and size that make them easy to collect.
Currently, most products sold are in the 300-400 yen range per turn. This price point makes it easy not only to buy one, but to collect multiples, such as wanting "another one" or "wanting to collect other characters."
Furthermore, there is the "not knowing what you’ll get" experience unique to capsule toys.
Unlike choosing and buying a specific product, finding the product at the store, turning the dial, and opening the capsule. This series of experiences itself contributes to the joy of purchasing.
The relatively affordable price and the small size that doesn't take up space. The low hurdle for collection may also be one of the reasons why people can't help but want to collect them.
The capsule toy market itself is also expanding. According to the Japan Capsule Toy Association, the domestic market size in fiscal year 2025 reached approximately 196 billion yen on a manufacturer shipment basis, hitting a record high.
The increase in specialty stores in familiar commercial facilities and around train stations, and the growing opportunities to encounter capsule toys in daily life, are also considered to be driving the popularity of these products.
In addition to an accessible price, the experience unique to capsule toys—"not knowing what you'll get" and "wanting to collect other types"—is also a catalyst for repeat purchases.
One difference from typical keychains and straps is the freedom of where they can be attached.
Not just umbrellas and plastic bottles, but bags, pouches, pens, lipsticks, charging cables, portable fans, etc.—you can turn familiar objects that you wouldn't normally imagine attaching accessories to into targets for decoration.
A feature is that instead of the product side limiting the usage to "this is how to use it," you can arrange it according to your own belongings and preferences.
Some people attach just one of their favorites, while others combine several, or enjoy collecting them and lining them up at home.
There is "margin" left for the consumers themselves to think about how to use them, such as "Where would I attach them?" or "How should I combine them?" This room for participation may lead to attachment to the product and continuous enjoyment.
The act of collecting small items or creating favorite combinations is also compatible with social media.
From a single product, various posts are born, such as "what I got," "where I attached it," and "how I combined it."
In fact, 9.8% of people answered that they were inspired to collect Mejirushi Accessories because they "saw them on social media." (Survey by Mynavi News)
It doesn't end with purchasing; you can find your own arrangements and show them to others. Furthermore, you can try new decorations by referring to other people's posts.
Not only the product itself but also "what I got," "how I used it," and "how I combined it" become new content for posting. The fact that consumers themselves spread information starting from the product can be said to be a feature of Mejirushi Accessories.
These ways of enjoying items can be seen beyond just Mejirushi Accessories.
In recent years, "bag deco," where bags themselves are decorated with charms and keychains, has spread, and "charm cosmetics," where cosmetics like lipstick and blush are attached and carried around like charms, are also gaining attention.
Charm cosmetics turn cosmetics that were previously kept inside a pouch into items to be "shown and carried around." They became a topic in Japan as a trend from Korea around 2025, and products from various brands have been appearing in 2026 as well.
Furthermore, collecting sticker books and Bonbon Drop Seals, as well as "nuikatsu" (carrying stuffed animals), are also popular.
Although the types of items differ, a common way of enjoying them can be seen.
"Collecting things you love"
"Arranging your everyday belongings in your own way"
"Carrying around your favorites in a visible way, rather than putting them away"
Perhaps the fact that even cosmetics previously kept in pouches are becoming "charms" symbolizes this change.
Collecting favorites one by one and combining them to enjoy in daily life. Perhaps consumption is shifting, where people find value not just in owning products, but in the experience of arranging and carrying them after purchase.
It is also thought that not just "what to buy," but also "how you can enjoy it in your own way after buying" is becoming part of a product's appeal.
We also introduce the trend of expressing your "love" by attaching characters to bags and the like in an article covering the resurgence of Showa and Heisei characters.
▼Related Article: Are Tamagotchi and Monchhichi Popular with Gen Z? Reasons Why They Are Attracted to Showa and Heisei Characters
This "collecting and carrying around" enjoyment is not limited to character goods. Mejirushi-incorporated products and promotions are also expanding among corporate products, brands, artists, sports, and more.
In addition to cases where they are developed as Bandai's "Mejirushi Accessory®," cases of incorporating "Mejirushi Charms" as fan-targeted original goods or campaign/novelty items are also appearing.
There are cases where the items that symbolize a company's product or brand are themselves commercialized as Bandai's "Mejirushi Accessory®."
For example, Nissin Food Products' "Cup Noodle" has developed "Nissin Cup Noodle Mejirushi Accessories" featuring familiar products as motifs.
CONVERSE has also released the "CONVERSE SHOES COLLECTION Mejirushi Accessory," a total of 8 types featuring motifs of the brand's iconic shoes such as "ALL STAR," "WEAPON," and "PRO LEATHER OX." It is a double-charm specification that includes not only the shoe itself but also the carton.
By miniaturizing familiar products or iconic brand items, they are connecting the products themselves to new experiences such as "collecting," "wearing," and "carrying around."
"Mejirushi" is also incorporated into fan-targeted goods for artists, idols, sports, etc.
For example, Hello! Project sells "Mejirushi Charms" for each member as collector items.
Also, "Professional Baseball Mascot Mejirushi Accessories," which features mascots from all 12 professional baseball teams, appeared in 2026.
Being able to attach favorite members, teams, or characters to daily items and feel close to them at all times is a prime example of the compatibility between Mejirushi items and "Oshi-katsu" (activities supporting one's favorite).
On the other hand, some companies use "Mejirushi Charms" not as products for sale, but as campaign prizes or purchase incentives.
S&B Foods celebrated the 20th anniversary of its "SPICE & HERB" series by offering non-sale "SPICE & HERB Miniature Mejirushi Charms," which are miniature versions of the actual products, as campaign prizes.
Additionally, Tokyo Banana World held a "Tokyo Banana Day Mejirushi Charm" giveaway campaign in conjunction with "Tokyo Banana Day."
It was triggered by the April Fool's project "Tokyo Oshi-Banana" on the official Tokyo Banana X account. In response to the reaction on social media, Mejirushi Charms in all 7 colors were produced and offered as gifts to those who purchased 2,500 yen or more (including tax) at eligible stores. This is an example of connecting a project born on social media to an actual in-store campaign.
Thus, "Mejirushi" is used in various ways, such as capsule toys with motifs of corporate products, goods for fans, campaigns, and novelties.
What they have in common is distilling the appeal of a brand or product into small items that can be carried around daily.
It is a feature of promotions utilizing "Mejirushi" that it doesn't end as mere goods or handouts, but generates post-purchase/acquisition behaviors such as "attaching," "collecting," "carrying around," and "showing." Designing items where consumers can spontaneously expand how they enjoy them is a useful reference for considering corporate and brand promotions.
Hints for future product and store development can be seen from the popularity of Mejirushi Accessories.
1. Design for the "After-Purchase" Experience
With Mejirushi Accessories, there are multiple ways to enjoy them after purchase, such as "collecting," "combining," "carrying around," and "displaying."
It seems that thinking not only about the appeal of the product itself but also about "how customers will use it after purchase" and "what kind of experience will continue" is a hint for creating continuous brand connections.
2. Create room for consumers to participate without pre-defining how to use it
Mejirushi Accessories do not have designated attachment points or combinations. Being able to think for themselves about "where to attach it" and "what to combine it with" leads to enjoyment for the consumers.
Even with products and campaigns, leaving room for consumers to find their own way to enjoy them, rather than just unilaterally providing a completed experience, can lead to attachment and word-of-mouth.
3. Making people imagine the "after-use" in the store
In stores, by showing not only the products on display but also usage examples and decoration examples that combine multiple items, it becomes easier for customers to imagine the enjoyment after purchase.
Displaying the entire lineup, introducing combination examples, and creating displays that people will want to take photos of are also ways to create store environments that lead to behaviors like "I want to collect," "I want to try," and "I want to show off."
How to create encounters with products that let you imagine how you'll enjoy them "after purchase" and experiences that make you think "I want to try that," "I want to take a photo," or "I want to share that with someone" is an important perspective when considering real-world sales floors and events.
We at BEEATS CO.,LTD. support promotions centered on real-world touchpoints, including pop-up stores, events, and store/sales floor development.
From planning and design to construction and operation, we provide broad support for encounters with products you'll want to pick up, experiences you'll want to join, and space creation you'll want to share with others. You can view details of our services and past projects below.
Q1. What do you attach Mejirushi Accessories to?
A1. Mejirushi Accessories can be attached to various belongings, such as umbrella handles, plastic bottles, pouches, bags, stationery, and cosmetics. In addition to their original purpose as "markers," they are also popular for carrying favorite characters or combining several of them for decoration.
Q2. Why are Mejirushi Accessories popular?
A2. In addition to being able to carry your favorite character around daily, reasons for their popularity include the affordable price range, the size that is easy to collect, and the "you don't know what you'll get" experience unique to capsule toys. The fact that you can freely arrange where to attach them and what to combine them with is also a charm.
Q3. Can Mejirushi Accessories be used for "Oshi-katsu" (activities to support your favorite idol/character)?
A3. Yes. By attaching Mejirushi Accessories of your favorite character or work to bags, pouches, etc., you can easily carry your "Oshi" (favorite) with you. Similar to "Nui-katsu" (carrying stuffed animals), they are also popular as items that allow you to feel closer to the things you like in your daily life.
Q4. What is the difference between Mejirushi Accessories and keychains?
A4. Keychains are generally attached to bags and keys, but a feature of Mejirushi Accessories is that they use silicon parts, etc., so they can be attached to "things that are difficult to attach keychains to," such as umbrella handles and plastic bottles.
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