Something unexpected happened in Tokyo just before a major fashion launch: BTS’ j-hope was reportedly spotted at the brand-new HUMAN MADE TOKYO flagship in Harajuku. The timing immediately caught attention because the visit came only one day before the store was scheduled to open to the public.

And there was more to the timing than a quick appearance. The new flagship is preparing to launch HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2, j-hope’s second collaboration with HUMAN MADE, bringing a new collection of clothing, accessories and collectible pieces to fans around the world.

j-hope’s reported HUMAN MADE TOKYO visit adds anticipation before opening day

On September 25, 2026, j-hope reportedly stopped by HUMAN MADE TOKYO in Harajuku, just ahead of the flagship’s official public opening on September 26.

Footage and reports circulating online showed the BTS star inside the newly completed store, where he reportedly explored the space and looked through items from the upcoming HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 collection.

j-hope was reportedly accompanied by NIGO, the founder and creative force behind HUMAN MADE, during the visit.

Videos shared online showed j-hope checking out displays and merchandise inside the expansive new location before acknowledging fans gathered outside.

The timing made the appearance particularly notable. HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 is one of the major launches connected with the opening of HUMAN MADE TOKYO, so j-hope’s reported appearance offered fans a glimpse of the collaboration immediately before it became available to shoppers.

However, there is an important distinction surrounding the visit. HUMAN MADE’s official announcements confirm the flagship opening and HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 launch, but do not issue a separate formal announcement describing j-hope’s September 25 visit. The appearance itself is therefore based on footage and reports circulating online.

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HUMAN MADE TOKYO opening details

Detail	Official information
Store	HUMAN MADE TOKYO
Opening date	September 26, 2026
Opening time	11 a.m. local time
Location	6-25-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
District	Harajuku
Floor area	595 square meters / approximately 180 tsubo
Scale	Roughly four times the size of a standard HUMAN MADE store
Opening-weekend entry	Advance lottery through the official app on September 26 and 27
Major launch	HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2
New product category	DUCK KICK, HUMAN MADE’s first original sneaker

The new Harajuku flagship is HUMAN MADE’s biggest store yet

The reported j-hope appearance came just as HUMAN MADE prepared to open what it describes as its first flagship store.

HUMAN MADE TOKYO officially opens on September 26, 2026, at 11 a.m. local time in Tokyo’s Harajuku district. The address is 6-25-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, and the store covers 595 square meters, approximately 180 tsubo.

That makes the location roughly four times the size of a standard HUMAN MADE store.

The location also carries significance for the brand because Harajuku is closely connected to HUMAN MADE’s origins. HUMAN MADE has positioned the new flagship as a base from which it can share its vision and creative culture with audiences around the world.

The design reflects that international-facing ambition.

A large glass facade faces Meiji-dori, while the interior incorporates containers, stainless steel, glass, lion sculptures and a moving heart logo. HUMAN MADE has also chosen not to completely conceal the functional side of retail operations. Visible storage containers are incorporated into the space, turning practical elements into part of the store’s design.

That makes the opening more than simply the arrival of another HUMAN MADE retail location. The new space has been designed as a physical expression of the brand itself.

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HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 launches alongside the new flagship

The biggest connection between j-hope’s reported visit and the new Harajuku store is HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2.

HUMAN MADE officially announced the collection on September 20, describing it as a collaboration “with j-hope of BTS.”

The second HUMAN HOPE collection launches on September 26, the same day HUMAN MADE TOKYO opens its doors.

The collaboration continues the visual identity established by HUMAN HOPE, particularly through its distinctive squirrel motif and collaboration logo.

HUMAN MADE describes the collection as a 16-piece lineup, while broader official sales listings include additional regional and exclusive items.

The lineup covers both wearable pieces and more unusual accessories and collectibles, including:

• Denim work jackets
• Chino pants
• Sweatshirts
• Graphic T-shirts
• Bucket hats
• Heart socks
• Pouch cross bags
• Heart passcases
• A squirrel hariko figure
• Umbrellas
• Pin sets
• Storage containers
• Additional collaboration accessories

The collection is being released through the HUMAN MADE online store and HUMAN MADE TOKYO, while Weverse is also making the collaboration available internationally.

Weverse lists the purchase period as beginning September 26 at 9 a.m. KST and continuing until sold out, with global shipping available.

The squirrel remains at the heart of HUMAN HOPE Season 2

One of the clearest visual links between the first HUMAN HOPE project and Season 2 is the return of the squirrel.

The motif appears across multiple pieces, helping give the new collection a recognizable identity while HUMAN MADE expands the collaboration into a wider range of products.

Among the standout pieces is the HUMAN HOPE Denim Work Jacket.

The jacket features a chain-stitched squirrel graphic on the back, along with a HUMAN HOPE heart button and a special heart name tag inside the back hem. HUMAN MADE lists the jacket as part of its collaboration with j-hope.

Another piece is the HUMAN HOPE sweatshirt, which features the squirrel graphic and uses HUMAN MADE’s loopwheel-knit construction and fleece material. The design is described as vintage-inspired.

Together, the pieces show how Season 2 continues the established HUMAN HOPE visual language while moving beyond conventional clothing into accessories and collectible products.

HUMAN MADE TOKYO will also introduce exclusive opening items

The new flagship is not simply opening with the standard HUMAN MADE range.

To mark the launch, HUMAN MADE TOKYO will release store-exclusive items, including a varsity jacket and T-shirt connected to the HUMAN HOPE launch.

The opening collection also introduces the lion as a key symbol of HUMAN MADE TOKYO.

Lion-themed opening items include T-shirts, hoodies and keyrings, alongside a store-exclusive-color MA-1 jacket, coach jacket, caps and heart rings.

Then there is another major first for the label.

DUCK KICK becomes HUMAN MADE’s first original sneaker

HUMAN MADE TOKYO will introduce DUCK KICK, described as HUMAN MADE’s first original sneaker.

The sneaker launch gives the flagship another product category beyond the apparel and accessories for which the label is already known.

That means opening weekend brings together several different launches at once: the new flagship, HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2, store-exclusive items and HUMAN MADE’s first original sneaker.

A new QR-code shopping system is also coming to the flagship

HUMAN MADE TOKYO is introducing a new shopping system designed around mobile ordering.

Customers can scan product QR codes with their smartphones and place orders directly. The order information is then passed to staff responsible for the store’s stock.

Traditional assistance remains available, so customers can still receive help directly from employees. The mobile system is designed to operate alongside conventional in-store service rather than replace it.

The opening weekend also comes with special entry arrangements.

According to HUMAN MADE’s announcement, entry on September 26 and September 27 is being handled through an advance lottery using the company’s official app.

That arrangement applies during the highly anticipated opening period, when both the new flagship and HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 are arriving simultaneously.

j-hope’s HUMAN HOPE collaboration connects music, fashion and collectibles

The project also reflects j-hope’s expanding relationship with fashion and creative projects beyond music.

HUMAN HOPE is not presented simply as celebrity-branded merchandise. Instead, the collaboration is built around a shared visual identity between j-hope and HUMAN MADE.

Season 2 continues that approach through the squirrel artwork, collaboration logo and combination of classic HUMAN MADE pieces with more unusual collectible products.

The collection therefore connects j-hope’s identity with NIGO’s established design language, while the timing of the release ties the collaboration directly to HUMAN MADE’s new physical home in Harajuku.

That connection becomes even more visible with j-hope’s reported appearance at the store immediately before the launch.

A major weekend for HUMAN MADE and j-hope

HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 arrives at a particularly significant moment for HUMAN MADE.

The brand’s new Tokyo flagship covers 595 square meters, is substantially larger than its standard stores and has been positioned as an international-facing base for HUMAN MADE’s vision and creative culture.

Opening the store alongside a major collaboration with one of the world’s most recognizable K-pop artists adds another international dimension to the launch.

For j-hope, the timing also creates an opportunity to personally connect with a collaboration that is launching in Tokyo and internationally at the same time.

The reported September 25 visit has therefore added another layer of anticipation to an already packed opening weekend.

Fans now have a major HUMAN MADE launch to watch

j-hope’s reported appearance may have been brief, but it arrived just as HUMAN MADE TOKYO was preparing to meet the public for the first time.

On September 26, the new Harajuku flagship officially opens at 11 a.m. local time, while HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 launches through HUMAN MADE’s retail and online channels, with international availability through Weverse.

At the same time, the new store introduces exclusive opening products, lion-themed pieces, a store-exclusive-color MA-1 jacket and other items, while DUCK KICK makes its debut as HUMAN MADE’s first original sneaker.

The reported sighting of j-hope alongside NIGO has made the connection between the artist and HUMAN MADE even more tangible just before the launch.

For a collaboration built around the HUMAN HOPE name, the timing could hardly be more direct: j-hope was reportedly inside the new Tokyo home of HUMAN MADE just one day before the collection bearing that shared identity officially reached fans.

Conclusion

The September 25 appearance of BTS’ j-hope at HUMAN MADE TOKYO has added excitement to an already significant launch, although the visit itself remains based on circulating footage and reports rather than a separate formal HUMAN MADE announcement.

What is officially confirmed is the much bigger picture: HUMAN MADE TOKYO opens on September 26, 2026, at 11 a.m. local time, becoming the brand’s first flagship and largest store to date, while HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 launches simultaneously.

With its squirrel-focused collection, exclusive Tokyo products, new mobile shopping system, special opening-weekend entry arrangements and the debut of DUCK KICK, the new Harajuku flagship marks a substantial new chapter for HUMAN MADE. And with j-hope reportedly previewing the space alongside NIGO just hours before opening day, the collaboration has reached the public spotlight at exactly the moment its new season is ready to begin.

j-hope isn’t the only BTS member connecting fashion with Korean heritage this year. A separate collection draws on Arirang and traditional Joseon-era motifs for its own distinctive design language. For more, read our post on BTS Dalmajung 2026: ARIRANG and Joseon-Era Munjado Inspire New Korean Heritage Collection

Disclaimer

This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided with the original material, including HUMAN MADE’s official announcements and product information, Weverse Shop’s HUMAN HOPE SEASON 2 information, and Vogue Japan’s coverage. Officially confirmed store, collection, product, timing and location details have been distinguished from the reported September 25 appearance. The reported visit is based on footage and reports circulating online and should not be understood as independently verified beyond the information supported by the provided sources.

Sources

• HUMAN MADE: Opening of HUMAN MADE TOKYO
• Weverse Shop: j-hope x HUMAN MADE HUMAN HOPE Season 2
• Vogue Japan: HUMAN MADE TOKYO and j-hope collaboration

Featured Image Credit: Instagram / uarmyhope