Image via Sanrio

Sanrio set August 7th as the annual Hanamaru Day for Hanamaruobake, with August 7, 2026 being the first celebration of the mascot character. This is not only a day to celebrate the Sanrio mascot, but also a day to acknowledge each other’s everyday hard work and give each other flower circles. There is also an official site to celebrate the occasion. It’s unknown if there will be new merchandise or announcements tied to the character that day.

Various stores, from Hanamaru Udon to shared office spaces, will celebrate Hanamaru Day. There’s also a theme song to celebrate it. The music video for the song “Hanamaruday Song” will come out on August 7, 2026. Until August 13, 2026, you might be able to check it out on one of ten big screen TVs around Japan, as it will play there until August 13, 2026. According to Sanrio, it decided to establish Hanamaru Day to boost people’s well-being, as this can be a way or excuse for people to acknowledge and congratulate their own or each other’s hard work.

On August 7, 2026, you can go to Hanamaru Udon, Kiddy Land, participating shared office/co-working spaces, and participating cram schools to receive Hanamaruobake candies and a sticker to celebrate Hanamaru Day. You can give them to people who work very hard, or just keep them for yourself. August 7, 2026 is also the release date of Kadokawa’s Another Hanamaru For Your Hard-Working Self (loose translation), which is the first solo book for the character.

As a reminder, the Hanamaruobake cafe and birthday-themed pop-up store are still open. The cafe is open until August 30, 2026, and you can find it at BOX cafe&space stores in Tokyo and Osaka. The pop-up store is available until August 13, 2026. They’re in Kiddy Lands all around Japan.

Hanamaruobake is a strange ghost that appears without your knowing and gives you a flower circle to compliment your daily hard work.

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Stephanie is a senior writer who has been writing for games journalism and translating since 2020. After graduating with a BA in English and a Certificate in Creative Writing, she spent a few years teaching English and history before fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming a writer. In terms of games, she loves RPGs, action-adventure, and visual novels. Aside from writing for Siliconera and Crunchyroll, she translates light novels, manga, and video games.