Tokyo commuters can now catch Maomao on their way to work. Ibaraki Prefecture and the anime The Apothecary Diaries have launched an “IBARAKI is Blossoming” wrapped train on the JR Yamanote Line, running from Friday, November 13 to Thursday, November 26, 2026.
Five visuals across 11 cars
The single 11-car train carries collaboration art on both sides of every car, from car 1 through car 11. There are five visuals in total: one each for spring, summer, autumn and winter, plus a key visual that bundles all four seasons together. Maomao, Jinshi, Basen and Lahan appear alongside Ibaraki’s flowers, nature, food, festivals and outdoor activities, with each seasonal piece featuring tourist spots, local products and experiences tied to that time of year.
Ibaraki says the goal is to get the many people who ride or see the Yamanote Line every day picturing a trip to the prefecture. The prefecture asks fans not to contact JR East or station staff about which train is wrapped or when it runs, and notes the train may be pulled from service on some days, including the final day while the wrap is removed.
Part of a bigger tourism push
The train is part of Ibaraki’s ongoing tourism campaign with the series under its “IBARAKI is Blossoming” brand. The prefecture is also running a stamp rally around local sightseeing spots, AR photo spots, and original goods using newly drawn illustrations. Last year the same partnership ran an in-train ad campaign on the Yamanote Line, so this year’s full exterior wrap is a step up.
About The Apothecary Diaries
Based on Natsu Hyuuga’s light novels, published under Imagica Infos’ Hero Bunko imprint, The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, a young food taster in the imperial rear palace who solves mysteries with her knowledge of medicine and poisons. The series has topped 57 million copies worldwide. The anime’s first season aired from October 2023 to March 2024 and the second from January to July 2025. The third season moves the story out of the rear palace and into the city, and the franchise’s first film, an all-new story based on Hyuuga’s original concept, opens in Japan on December 11.
Source: Anime! Anime!
