A winter event at Japan's JR Hakata Station, "Christmas Advent," recently sparked an absolute frenzy thanks to an exclusive "Super Mario" collaboration mug. Launched to celebrate the grand opening of Nintendo Fukuoka, Kyushu's first direct Nintendo store, these special mugs featuring Mario, Luigi, and other beloved characters quickly became the hottest souvenir of the season.
The mug, bundled with hot cocoa, retailed for 1,500 JPY (tax included). However, due to the time-consuming preparation of the hot cocoa, only about 1,500 units were available daily. From its debut on the 14th, massive crowds began swarming Hakata Station in the early hours, forcing organizers to distribute numbered tickets to manage the chaos. The catch? The ticket distribution times were never announced, leading eager fans to show up even earlier, hoping to beat the rush.
By 4 AM on the 24th, queues had already started forming, and by 7 AM JST, the line had swelled to over 1,000 people – a truly wild sight. This potent mix of limited supply and sky-high demand inevitably fueled a rampant resale market. Mugs began popping up on secondary platforms for more than three times their original price, sparking outrage online and leaving many fans fuming that they "couldn't even get one."
Facing escalating disorder and a wave of negative feedback, event organizer and vendor SAEKI JAPAN made the tough call to suspend sales starting the 25th. They emphasized that they would re-evaluate future sales methods and schedules to prevent further public dissatisfaction.
"This collaboration was meant to bring joy to attendees, and we certainly don't want anyone to feel unhappy because of queuing or resale issues," the organizers stated.
The latest updates will be posted on the event's official website and Instagram, and organizers are urging the public to keep a close eye on future announcements. This "Mario" mug saga once again shines a spotlight on the persistent problems of long queues and rampant reselling that plague in-person sales of limited-edition merchandise, making it a major talking point of the event.
via： 西日本新聞me