OSAKA - Sticker trading that was popular among children decades ago is making a comeback in Japan, but this time with a new range leading the trend.
Plump and with a glass-like transparency, Bonbon Drop stickers, produced by Osaka-based stationery maker Q-Lia Co., have been selling out as children and adults snatch up sheets as soon as they arrive at stores. Their popularity has also led to counterfeits and arrests.
"Those are rare, but I can trade any of them if you want," one woman told another as they spread out albums on a table at a cafe dedicated to sticker trading in Osaka in late March.
The cafe's manager, Mika Kawano, 34, said, "We're packed on some days and have many regulars."
Seiichi Kurakake, Q-Lia's development chief, said the company launched Bonbon Drop stickers in March 2024 after spending about six months on planning, aiming to create "a sticker unlike anything we've seen before."
Q-Lia said the stickers were initially targeted at children in elementary school, but after social media users began posting photos of smartphone cases and cosmetic containers decorated with them around the spring of 2025, the fan base widened to adult women.
"We've been able to broaden the reach of the sticker culture. We're amazed by this unexpected success," said Kurakake.
Yohei Harada, a professor at the Shibaura Institute of Technology who studies youth culture, said past trends are seeing a resurgence.
Women in their late 20s to 30s who grew up trading stickers as children are driving such trends after entering the workforce, as they "can now freely purchase items that bring them a sense of nostalgia," he added.
Cumulative shipments of Bonbon Drop stickers had skyrocketed to 34 million sheets by the end of June, from 4 million sheets as of April 2025.
"We expect production to continue increasing in the current circumstances," Kurakake said, adding, "Our top priority is to ensure sufficient supply to meet demand."
However, as the stickers have grown in popularity, counterfeits have begun to circulate in Japan.
In May, police arrested a male company executive and a male business owner for alleged copyright infringement. They were caught in possession of 1,016 sheets of counterfeit stickers that they intended to sell at a Nagoya shopping center, with a summary court ordering them to pay fines in June.
A woman was also arrested in June for allegedly attempting to sell fake Bonbon Drop stickers at her general merchandise store in Osaka Prefecture. She told investigators she imported them from China.
Q-Lia has posted a statement on its online store since November 2025, noting that official products feature a notice in Japanese on the back of the sticker sheets. It also urged customers to "enjoy the product in a sound manner."
