Plushies spending nights at Japan museums gain traction

In Japan, sending beloved stuffed animals to museums and art galleries for overnight stays is gaining popularity among owners, who wish to share their pets' company with exhibits on their behalf. This trend, dubbed "nuikatsu" or "stuffed toy activity," is drawing increasing attention, with organizers hoping it will boost visitor numbers and generate excitement. The Hikone Castle Museum in Shiga Prefecture and the Nagoya City Art Museum are among the institutions embracing this concept.

The practice, believed to have originated from U.S. public libraries, is rapidly spreading across Japan. The phenomenon is fueled by people posting photos of their favorite plushies at museums, sharing their experiences on social media. The Hikone Castle Museum and the Nagoya City Art Museum have seen instant success with their sleepover events, with slots filling up in under a minute of online registration.

The Hikone Castle Museum held a special event to mark its 40th anniversary, receiving 122 applications for just 10 available spots in July.

Hikonyan, the mascot of Hikone, served as the event's guide, and the stuffed animals were photographed viewing the castle's historical artifacts, such as swords and armor belonging to the Ii family, feudal lords of the Hikone domain. Attendees shared their experiences online, with one post garnering over 5,000 likes. Naoya Okaniwa, a fan of the mascot, and his wife, who traveled from Nagoya, said they had visited the museum many times, but their plushies helped them discover new aspects they had previously overlooked.

Kanato Muraki, a 7-year-old from Kusatsu in Shiga Prefecture, who visited the facility for the first time, expressed surprise at the size of the armor suits and his desire to return. The Hikone Castle Museum's official noted that only about 20 percent of its visitors usually explore the museum, located next to the castle. In an effort to attract more visitors, Yuto Nakahashi, a staff member at the museum, expressed hope that this event would spark interest in the exhibits and increase attendance.

According to the Japan Toy Association, the market size for stuffed animals reached 62.4 billion yen ($390 million) in fiscal 2025, marking a nearly 40 percent increase from the previous year.