Share Your New Life in April with Photos: The 34th Bear-kun AR Photo Contest Held

APAMAN Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Kai Yamazaki), which boasts the No. 1 position in both store count*1 and contract count*2 in the rental housing brokerage industry, will hold the "34th Bear-kun AR Photo Contest," a participatory project utilizing its official character "Bear-kun," starting April 1, 2026 (Wednesday).

This project is a photo contest where participants activate AR on their smartphones and take/post photos of "A New Step" found in their new life in April, together with "Bear-kun" appearing on the screen. It will be implemented as a participatory project where participants can easily share photos of "A New Step" found in their new life in April.

**Project Background** April is the season when new lives begin, such as entering school, starting a new job, or relocating. It is also a time when everyone takes "A New Step" with anticipation and a little anxiety. New life is full of various memorable moments, such as moving, starting a new job, entrance ceremonies, travel, new encounters, and the day you wear new clothes. Each of these events becomes a precious scene that colors the life that is about to begin.

Apaman Shop continues its efforts to make housing and living feel more familiar through its official character "Bear-kun." This photo contest provides a platform for easy participation through photos, with the theme of "A New Step" found in daily life. By sharing familiar scenery and precious moments, we aim to create an opportunity for people to naturally feel the joy of living and an interest in housing.

**Shooting Image** By taking a photo on the day you wear a suit for the first time, or with newly purchased stationery, you can capture a moment that symbolizes the beginning of a new life.

By superimposing "Bear-kun" on the first welcome party after joining the company or at the moment of meeting new colleagues, you can express that special time more impressively.

By making "Bear-kun" appear in the scenery encountered on the way to work or school, or in a landscape found in a new city, you can capture discoveries unique to a new life as a photo.

**"Bear-kun AR Photo Contest" Overview** Participants are asked to take photos with AR Bear-kun and post them on social media.

Application Period: From April 1, 2026 (Wednesday) to April 13, 2026 (Monday) 23:59.

How to apply is as follows: 1. Read the QR code with your smartphone to activate the official AR "Bear-kun" (no app required, access from a dedicated site). 2. Take a photo of "A New Step" found in your new life in April with AR Bear-kun. 3. Post it on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) with the hashtag [#べあ君ar体験]. *Please post with your account set to public. If your account is private, your application will be invalid.

Judging Criteria: Affinity with the theme (how friends/Bear-kun are utilized), originality, composition, color, storytelling, brightness of the post content, safety, and expression of fun.

**Prizes** ・Six winning entries will receive a prize as the "Thank You Award from Bear-kun."

**1 Grand Prize Winner** Bear-kun Sweets Assortment worth 3,000 yen The grand prize winner will receive a spring-themed sweets assortment (reference price: 3,000 yen). *Photos are for illustrative purposes only.

**5 Award Winners** Starbucks eGift 500 yen A Starbucks eGift worth 500 yen will be presented. After receiving the gift, please tap the URL provided and present the QR code at checkout.

Winner Announcement: Winners will be contacted via DM on the SNS account they posted from by 18:00 on April 15, 2026 (Wednesday). Winning entries are scheduled to be published on the Bear-kun special site by April 24, 2026 (Friday).

APAMAN Co., Ltd. is developing SNS communication utilizing its corporate character "Bear-kun" under the theme of "Creating the future of housing that connects regions and people." The AR photo contest has become established as an opportunity to share "time to enjoy life" and "regional charm" beyond the scope of housing searches. It is an initiative to disseminate the seasonal feelings and warmth of daily life in each region, together with users nationwide.

**■ Notes and Disclaimers** When shooting, please do not use your smartphone while walking or shoot on roads, and pay full attention to your surroundings for safety. Images and videos created using generative AI are not eligible for selection as winning entries. If people are photographed, please obtain the consent of the subject before applying. Please be mindful of portrait rights and copyrights, and be careful not to include third parties or corporate logos. Communication charges will be incurred for using AR (to be borne by the applicant). Company names, product names, and service names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

**■ Copyright and Secondary Use** The copyright of the submitted works belongs to the applicant. However, by submitting, you are deemed to have agreed to the free secondary use (including editing, re-posting, and use by group companies) of the works on websites, SNS, promotional materials, press releases, etc., operated by our company and group companies.

**■ Notes on SNS Platforms** This campaign is planned by Apaman Shop (APAMAN Co., Ltd.). It is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or Facebook.

**3D AR Bear-kun: "Meet Bear-kun anywhere with just one smartphone!"** AR Bear-kun, based on the concept of "Meet Bear-kun anywhere with just one smartphone!", utilizes AR (augmented reality) technology and can be enjoyed with just a smartphone, without the need for an app. By simply accessing a QR code or a dedicated site, you can take commemorative photos anytime, anywhere with Bear-kun, who "appears near you" through the screen.

AR Bear-kun appears just by scanning the QR code with your smartphone. No app is required, so you can enjoy the AR experience immediately. Take photos in your favorite places and post them on social media.

**Introduction of Winning Entries from the 33rd Photo Contest** The winning entries this time were impressive for carefully capturing various moments in daily life, such as cherished small items, relaxed everyday moments, favorite sweets or dining scenes, and landscapes encountered while traveling or walking.

In each work, AR Bear-kun naturally blended in, creating a picture as if they were spending the same time together. The fact that it expressed the joy of spending time with the character in familiar everyday scenes, rather than special effects, was highly evaluated as a work that embodies the charm of this photo contest.

**Grand Prize Winner** This is a very heartwarming work that skillfully combines a cherished sticker album with AR "Bear-kun." By having the character accompany daily refresh time, the world of hobbies is expressed more richly. It was highly evaluated as a picture that conveys happiness in a quiet daily life.