From Tokyo to the World! A Glance That Brings Little Happiness. The Charm Robot 'mirumi' Finally Launches in Japan on April 23 (Thu)
Yukai Engineering will launch 'mirumi', a charm robot that mimics baby gestures, in Japan on April 23, 2026. Following a huge crowdfunding success, the fashion tech item will also launch globally in luxury stores.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 15:31
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Yukai Engineering Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Shunsuke Aoki), operating under the vision "Make the world a 'Yukai' (happy) place with robotics," will launch "mirumi" (19,800 yen/tax included), a charm robot that "glances" at you, in Japan on Thursday, April 23, 2026. After becoming a hot topic in overseas crowdfunding, "mirumi" will start its rollout in Japan, followed sequentially by releases in the US, Europe, Asia, and other regions.
Starting on the launch date, advance exhibition and sales will be held at 12 Tsutaya Books and Tsutaya Electrics stores nationwide, including Daikanyama Tsutaya Books and Futakotamagawa Tsutaya Electrics, as well as on the mirumi official online store.
As a fashion tech item combining fashion and robotics, we propose an experience with a new partner that blends into everyday life and shares small moments of happiness.
Available in three colors: "Pink," "Ivory," and "Gray."
Captivating the world, inspired by a baby's gestures.
The charm robot "mirumi" that "glances" at you.
Looking up suddenly at a sound,
looking around restlessly.
Staring intently at something,
and sometimes looking away capriciously.
"mirumi" is a charm robot
inspired by such baby gestures.
When your eyes meet, it shares a little happiness.
The Journey of mirumi
"mirumi" is a product born at a Makeathon, Yukai Engineering's annual internal event, held in 2024. First unveiled at CES in the US in January 2025, it garnered massive attention from global media and attendees. In an overseas challenge on the world's largest crowdfunding site "Kickstarter" starting in December 2025, it received support from 1,870 backers across 32 countries and regions, achieving over 70 million yen—the highest funding amount in Yukai Engineering's history. In February 2026, it also appeared at Milan Fashion Week, fascinating celebrities and designers from around the world.
Following the launch in Japan, it will be rolled out sequentially in various countries, starting with "Lane Crawford," a historic luxury department store based in Hong Kong, as well as in Australia, China, the US, Thailand, and Germany. Additionally, a POP UP STORE is planned to be held at the prestigious luxury department store "Harrods" in London, UK, in July.
Advance Exhibition & Sales @ Japan
▼ Advance Exhibition & Sales Period at Tsutaya Books/Electrics Nationwide
Thursday, April 23, 2026 - Thursday, April 30, 2026
▼ Participating Stores
Daikanyama Tsutaya Books / Futakotamagawa Tsutaya Electrics / Hakodate Tsutaya Books / Urawa Tsutaya Books / Makuhari Tsutaya Books / Shonan Tsutaya Books / Nagoya Minato Tsutaya Books / Kyoto Okazaki Tsutaya Books / Umeda Tsutaya Books / Nara Tsutaya Books / Edion Tsutaya Electrics / Ropponmatsu Tsutaya Books
*Rollout periods and business hours after the advance exhibition period vary by store.
Development Background
Yukai Engineering has always explored new relationships between people and robots.
Being looked at by a baby in a baby carrier and instinctively waving back,
making eye contact with a person next to you and smiling—
we focused on the gentle emotional movements shared unintentionally in these moments.
Rather than pursuing smartness or convenience,
the goal is to design an experience that relaxes the heart in casual moments.
To create soft triggers between people.
"mirumi" is an attempt to redefine what a robot can be.
The involuntary, heart-fluttering cuteness generated by its gestures
involves people around it in small moments of happiness.
Commitment to Design and Technology
We aimed for a presence that gently touches the heart, with small movements like staring up at you in a sudden moment.
Behavior:
Simply staring, burying its face in surprise at a loud noise, rubbing its face against a hand,
nodding slowly—
To realize these gestures, we designed dozens of movement patterns.
Furthermore, by finely adjusting the pacing and timing of movements and combining them with sensing via microphones and touch sensors, it realizes natural behaviors like a small, capricious creature: turning its head toward sounds or voices to show interest, and reacting when petted.
Hugging Mechanism:
To combine softer, more lifelike movements with the durability to not be shaken off when attached to a bag and carried around, we went through repeated prototyping and improvement to develop the arm mechanism.
We achieved mirumi's unique hugging mechanism, combining strength and cuteness that could not be expressed with existing mechanisms.
Material:
We pursued a soft, fluffy texture that makes you want to pet it involuntarily.
Colors, length, and hair...
Starting on the launch date, advance exhibition and sales will be held at 12 Tsutaya Books and Tsutaya Electrics stores nationwide, including Daikanyama Tsutaya Books and Futakotamagawa Tsutaya Electrics, as well as on the mirumi official online store.
As a fashion tech item combining fashion and robotics, we propose an experience with a new partner that blends into everyday life and shares small moments of happiness.
Available in three colors: "Pink," "Ivory," and "Gray."
Captivating the world, inspired by a baby's gestures.
The charm robot "mirumi" that "glances" at you.
Looking up suddenly at a sound,
looking around restlessly.
Staring intently at something,
and sometimes looking away capriciously.
"mirumi" is a charm robot
inspired by such baby gestures.
When your eyes meet, it shares a little happiness.
The Journey of mirumi
"mirumi" is a product born at a Makeathon, Yukai Engineering's annual internal event, held in 2024. First unveiled at CES in the US in January 2025, it garnered massive attention from global media and attendees. In an overseas challenge on the world's largest crowdfunding site "Kickstarter" starting in December 2025, it received support from 1,870 backers across 32 countries and regions, achieving over 70 million yen—the highest funding amount in Yukai Engineering's history. In February 2026, it also appeared at Milan Fashion Week, fascinating celebrities and designers from around the world.
Following the launch in Japan, it will be rolled out sequentially in various countries, starting with "Lane Crawford," a historic luxury department store based in Hong Kong, as well as in Australia, China, the US, Thailand, and Germany. Additionally, a POP UP STORE is planned to be held at the prestigious luxury department store "Harrods" in London, UK, in July.
Advance Exhibition & Sales @ Japan
▼ Advance Exhibition & Sales Period at Tsutaya Books/Electrics Nationwide
Thursday, April 23, 2026 - Thursday, April 30, 2026
▼ Participating Stores
Daikanyama Tsutaya Books / Futakotamagawa Tsutaya Electrics / Hakodate Tsutaya Books / Urawa Tsutaya Books / Makuhari Tsutaya Books / Shonan Tsutaya Books / Nagoya Minato Tsutaya Books / Kyoto Okazaki Tsutaya Books / Umeda Tsutaya Books / Nara Tsutaya Books / Edion Tsutaya Electrics / Ropponmatsu Tsutaya Books
*Rollout periods and business hours after the advance exhibition period vary by store.
Development Background
Yukai Engineering has always explored new relationships between people and robots.
Being looked at by a baby in a baby carrier and instinctively waving back,
making eye contact with a person next to you and smiling—
we focused on the gentle emotional movements shared unintentionally in these moments.
Rather than pursuing smartness or convenience,
the goal is to design an experience that relaxes the heart in casual moments.
To create soft triggers between people.
"mirumi" is an attempt to redefine what a robot can be.
The involuntary, heart-fluttering cuteness generated by its gestures
involves people around it in small moments of happiness.
Commitment to Design and Technology
We aimed for a presence that gently touches the heart, with small movements like staring up at you in a sudden moment.
Behavior:
Simply staring, burying its face in surprise at a loud noise, rubbing its face against a hand,
nodding slowly—
To realize these gestures, we designed dozens of movement patterns.
Furthermore, by finely adjusting the pacing and timing of movements and combining them with sensing via microphones and touch sensors, it realizes natural behaviors like a small, capricious creature: turning its head toward sounds or voices to show interest, and reacting when petted.
Hugging Mechanism:
To combine softer, more lifelike movements with the durability to not be shaken off when attached to a bag and carried around, we went through repeated prototyping and improvement to develop the arm mechanism.
We achieved mirumi's unique hugging mechanism, combining strength and cuteness that could not be expressed with existing mechanisms.
Material:
We pursued a soft, fluffy texture that makes you want to pet it involuntarily.
Colors, length, and hair...