The Secret Pikmin Stations of JR Kyushu!

June 30th marked the end of the massive Pikmin x JR Kyushu collaboration that took place across the Kyushu Region of Japan, which has been ongoing since early December 2024. With Pikmin buses, trains, exclusive merch, local specialty snacks, Pikmin Festa events, and so much more, it was the ultimate experience for any Pikmin lover!

While you may have already heard about some of the major features of this ambitious collab, let’s take a look at one of the more obscure things not many people may be aware of. Some may even call it… TOP SECRET!

Throughout all seven prefectures of the region (Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Ōita), there were 61 train stations that became Special Spots in Pikmin Bloom. When swiped, players would receive 10 regular white nectar and an exclusive postcard, a different design for each prefecture. In addition, treasures in the form of a digital stamp rally could be collected by doing a GPS Check-in through the JR Kyushu app.

Among these 61 stations, seven were designated as Pikmin Stations, one for each prefecture. These were often located in truly remote areas of Kyushu. Anyone brave enough to reach one would be rewarded with a station decorated in the theme of a specific Pikmin.

In Fukuoka Prefecture at Chikuzen-Iwaya Station, part of the Hikoboshi bus line, visitors could see Rock Pikmin hiding amongst the boulders. The glass panels of the bus stop were also decorated with various Pikmin characters.

In Saga Prefecture, far to the north and shrouded by forest, was Nijinomatsubara Station. At this quiet little station, Winged Pikmin could be seen fluttering high and low.

Taking the slow local train which travels parallel to the scenic Ōmura Bay, visitors could see Ice Pikmin at Ōkusa Station, perfect to visit on a chilly morning.

In Kagoshima Prefecture, not far from the international airport, is Hinatayama Station. There, visitors could see the Yellow Pikmin hiding around the station’s old wooden building.

Near the center of Kyushu within Kumamoto Prefecture lies Miyaji Station. Dedicated to Red Pikmin, there were 13 in total hiding both inside and outside the station.

Blue Pikmin could be found at Kodomonokuni Station in the southern part of Miyazaki Prefecture. With palm trees and many beautiful resorts nearby, it felt like the perfect spot for a tropical vacation!

Finally, hidden within the mountains of Ōita Prefecture, was Bungo-Mori Station, dedicated to Purple Pikmin. Nicknamed “Onsen Prefecture”, this area is famous for its many hot springs.

In addition to receiving a postcard in Pikmin Bloom and treasure in the JR Kyushu app, anyone who did a GPS check-in through the Japanese MyNintendo app at these Pikmin Stations could redeem smartphone and PC wallpapers with a design showcasing the Pikmin that was represented at each station.

These special designs weren’t unique to the wallpapers, either! Among the many types of exclusive merchandise sold as part of the collaboration were acrylic station sign keychains with the names of seven major stations within each prefecture (Hakata Station, Saga Station, Nagasaki Station, Kumamoto Station, Kagoshima-chuo Station, Miyazaki Station, and Ōita Station).

While these keychains could be bought separately for 880 yen, it was actually recommended to buy a box set for 7040 yen. Doing so, you would not only get the full set of keychains for the seven major stations, but also one “Secret Pikmin Station” keychain at random, of which there were an additional seven to collect, bringing the total to 14 acrylic keychains in all!

As you can imagine, given that each Secret Station keychain is a blind pick and considering the cost of a single box, collecting a full set of these is a monumental task. Here you can see a full set of these secret keychains which use a similar art style as the wallpapers. Which design is your favorite?

Along with the end of the Pikmin x JR Kyushu collab came the end of the sale of the limited merchandise as well. For anyone looking to collect this set of beautiful acrylic keychains, the only way now is to buy them secondhand. Looks like the secret’s out!

You can purchase these Pikmin JR Kyushu Keychains at ZenMarket! Use our promo code "PIKMININFORMER" while signing up to receive 800 ZenPoints (yen)!

Written by Johnny (Bloom Buds)