ANA Unveils Chiikawa Jet for October 19 Launch, With More Routes and Merchandise to Follow

First flight will connect Haneda and Nagasaki

All Nippon Airways unveiled its Chiikawa Jet at a Haneda Airport hangar on October 18, 2026, ahead of a scheduled October 19 debut on flight NH661 from Tokyo to Nagasaki. The aircraft, registered JA609A, carries eight characters from illustrator Nagano's manga series, with decorations inspired by Japan's four seasons.

The launch brings together a domestic aircraft, themed cabin items, merchandise and a prize campaign extending into spring 2027. ANA says this is the first collaboration between Chiikawa and a Japanese domestic airline. Mascots of Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi joined ANA employees at the unveiling.

Passengers hoping to fly aboard the aircraft will need to pay attention to its daily assignment. After the first return journey, it will move among domestic routes rather than remain on a dedicated service. Its possible operating network expands when ANA's winter schedule begins on October 25.

ANA's August 3 announcement initially envisaged a launch in late October. The airline subsequently confirmed October 19, with the inaugural flight details published on its special website on October 6.

Eight characters, two seasonal designs

JA609A is a Boeing 767-300ER, described in ANA's official collaboration information as a Boeing 767-300. Its registration identifies the individual aircraft, helping passengers and aviation enthusiasts distinguish it from other jets of the same type.

The artwork uses specially processed adhesive sheets called decals, rather than a new painted design. ANA therefore describes it as a specially designed aircraft. The decorations place the characters among motifs found across Japan, including four leaf clovers, nemophila flowers, maple leaves and snowflakes.

The left side features Chiikawa, Hachiware, Shisa and Kurimanju with spring and summer imagery. The right side pairs Usagi, Rakko, Momonga and Furuhonya with autumn and winter motifs. Someone viewing only one side of the jet will therefore see a different group of characters and seasons from someone standing on the other side.

The seasonal theme connects the aircraft's appearance with the places it will serve, from Hokkaido in northern Japan to Okinawa in the south. All eight characters also appear on the cabin's themed headrest covers.

The launch schedule and dates to watch

Flight NH661 is scheduled to leave Haneda at 8:15 a.m. on October 19 and arrive in Nagasaki at 10:10 a.m. The aircraft is then scheduled to operate NH664, departing Nagasaki at 11 a.m. and reaching Haneda at 12:45 p.m. All flight times are local to Japan.

The aircraft launch is followed by several separate changes to merchandise availability, routes and campaign eligibility. The main dates are:

• October 18, 2026: ANA unveils the aircraft at Haneda Airport.
• October 19: Scheduled first flights between Haneda and Nagasaki; campaign registration opens at 10 a.m.
• October 23: Collaboration merchandise begins going on sale, and a dedicated Haneda shop opens.
• October 25: The winter timetable expands the aircraft's possible routes.
• November 1 and November 4: Additional merchandise sales channels begin operating.
• December 31: Campaign registration closes at 11:59 p.m.
• February 1 to April 30, 2027: Eligible domestic flights count toward the second campaign draw.
• March 2027: A second merchandise collection is planned.

The flight launch, shop opening and prize draws run on different schedules. In particular, passengers interested in the spring prize draw must complete the initial campaign registration before the end of 2026.

Where the aircraft may fly

ANA's Chiikawa collaboration page lists possible routes rather than a fixed daily timetable. The airline says the assigned route will not be confirmed until the day of departure, and operational disruptions may send the aircraft onto routes outside the published list.

From October 19 through October 24, the listed Haneda routes connect with Sapporo's New Chitose Airport, Osaka Itami, Matsuyama, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Okinawa Naha. The aircraft may also serve Itami to New Chitose, and Nagoya to New Chitose or Naha.

From October 25, the Haneda list grows from seven destinations to 15. The eight additions are Hakodate, Yonago, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Ube, Kochi, Kagoshima and Ishigaki. Itami to Naha and Fukuoka to New Chitose also join the possible network, while the earlier Itami and Nagoya routes remain listed.

The expansion more than doubles the number of possible Haneda destinations, from seven to 15. For travellers outside Tokyo, the additional Itami and Fukuoka connections provide more opportunities to encounter the jet. Booking a listed route still leaves the aircraft assignment dependent on the day's operations. ANA has not announced an end date for the special aircraft's service.

What passengers will find inside

Domestic Economy Class passengers will find headrest covers featuring the eight characters shown on the aircraft. The covers are cabin equipment and must remain on board.

Drinks will be served in a limited edition paper cup featuring Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi together. ANA specifies that there is one cup design containing all three characters. The cups are used for both hot and cold drinks.

ANA says the themed items may change depending on operational conditions that day. The cabin decorations therefore come with the same practical need for flexibility as the aircraft's route assignment.

An unnamed ANA official, speaking about the experience the airline hopes to provide, said:

We hope passengers can enjoy a journey through the skies with Chiikawa,

ANA also asks passengers not to request crew autographs or messages in logbooks, citing aviation security. The request applies to people hoping to collect a written souvenir from the special flight.

Uniforms give each character an airline job

All Nippon Airways Trading, part of ANA Holdings, will begin releasing collaboration goods on October 23. The first collection contains eight product categories, with original illustrations showing the characters working aboard the aircraft and on the ground.

Usagi wears a captain's uniform, while Hachiware appears as a first officer, the other pilot on the flight deck. Chiikawa and Rakko are cabin attendants. Shisa represents airport passenger service staff, Kurimanju is a mechanic, and Momonga and Furuhonya represent ground handling staff, whose work helps prepare aircraft for departure.

The collection includes eight mascot varieties and three larger plush toys. Other products are acrylic keychains, tin badges, stickers, towel handkerchiefs, clear document folders and a ceramic mug set inspired by the paper cups used aboard the jet.

Prices including tax are 2,310 yen for a mascot, 3,080 yen for a plush toy, 770 yen for an acrylic keychain, 330 yen for a badge, 440 yen for a sticker or clear folder, and 880 yen for a towel handkerchief. The ceramic mug set costs 5,500 yen and is scheduled for advance sale on board.

Sales spread beyond the aircraft

October 23 sales begin through ANA Shopping A-style, its ANA Mall store, the domestic flight shopping service ANA STORE@SKY, selected ANA FESTA airport shops and selected ANA DUTY FREE SHOP locations. Chiikawa Market and Chiikawa Land stores are also participating, alongside advance orders for international flight duty free purchases.

International flight duty free sales begin November 1. A further group of 19 ANA FESTA shops accessible without boarding a flight is scheduled to start sales on November 4, followed by other airport shops and aviation facilities from late November. Product availability varies by location.

Purchase limits apply from October 23 through October 25. Participating ANA channels generally allow two of each item type and one boxed product per type. Chiikawa Market and Chiikawa Land have their own restrictions. The collectible keychains and badges come in packages that conceal the character inside.

At Haneda, the ANA FESTA Haneda B1 Floor Gift Store will sell only the collaboration goods from October 23 through the planned end of March 2027. It is on the basement level of Terminal 2, before security, and will open from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Visits to four ANA FESTA locations accessible to people without flights require reservations during October 23 to 25, including the dedicated Haneda shop. Reservations opened on October 16 at 11 a.m., with places allocated in order of booking. A second merchandise collection is scheduled for March 2027.

Two prize draws have different entry rules

The launch campaign, called Travel with Chiikawa, begins accepting registrations on October 19 at 10 a.m. The first draw offers original acrylic stands to 500 winners and requires no flight purchase.

Participants must log into the ANA app with an ANA Mileage Club account and complete campaign registration by December 31 at 11:59 p.m. People without an account can join the loyalty programme free of charge. The acrylic stand prizes are scheduled to be sent in early February 2027.

The second draw offers original passport cases to 100 winners. Entrants must first complete the initial registration requirements, then fly at least one eligible ANA domestic sector between February 1 and April 30, 2027. A sector means one flight between two airports.

Eligible flights can be operated by aircraft other than the Chiikawa Jet. The fare must earn miles, and the flight miles must be credited to ANA Mileage Club. A codeshare service, where ANA sells seats on a flight operated by a partner airline, qualifies only when booked and flown under an ANA NH flight number.

Passport case prizes are scheduled for dispatch around early June 2027. Winners of both draws will be notified through delivery of the prizes, and shipping is limited to addresses in Japan registered with ANA Mileage Club.

The campaign gives people three different ways to take part in the collaboration: register without flying, purchase merchandise through shops or online, or make an eligible domestic journey for the second draw. Travellers seeking the passport case can use a qualifying ordinary ANA flight rather than plan around JA609A's changing schedule.

A growing franchise joins ANA's themed fleet

Nagano's Chiikawa began as a manga on X, formerly Twitter, and expanded into books, television animation, shops and other collaborations. ANA's announcement describes a story built around small characters facing everyday challenges together. The television anime has aired within Fuji TV's Mezamashi TV programme since April 2022.

The aircraft arrives after the Japanese release of the franchise's first animated film, Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island, on July 24, 2026. By the time of the unveiling, the film's reported Japanese box office revenue had exceeded 17.9 billion yen. The franchise has also attracted fans in China through a Shanghai exhibition and official merchandise stores opening across the country since 2025.

ANA has previously introduced aircraft featuring Pokemon, Demon Slayer and Star Wars. The Chiikawa collaboration extends that approach across the aircraft exterior, Economy Class cabin items, retail products and an app campaign, rather than limiting it to an airport unveiling.

For passengers, the most immediate changes are concrete: a differently decorated aircraft on domestic routes, character designs during drink service, and merchandise sold through channels that include shops before airport security. The October 25 route expansion broadens the jet's reach, while the March merchandise release and spring flight campaign keep the collaboration active into 2027.

Key Points

• ANA unveiled the Chiikawa Jet, registration JA609A, at Haneda on October 18, 2026.
• The first scheduled flight is NH661 from Haneda to Nagasaki on October 19 at 8:15 a.m., followed by NH664 back to Haneda at 11 a.m.
• Eight characters appear on the aircraft using decals, with different seasonal designs on each side.
• Possible Haneda destinations expand from seven to 15 on October 25; daily aircraft assignments are confirmed on departure day.
• Economy Class receives themed headrest covers and drink cups. Headrest covers must stay on board.
• Merchandise sales begin October 23, with purchase limits and reservations at selected shops during the opening period.
• The first campaign draw requires registration by December 31; the second also requires an eligible domestic flight between February 1 and April 30, 2027.