What the Yokohama Exhibition Brings
The exhibition, officially titled Novel 'The Apothecary Diaries' Original Work Exhibition: Poison and Medicine, Science and Mystery, focuses on Natsu Hyuuga's original light novel rather than the anime adaptation. Visitors walk through displays exploring the novel's world of palace intrigue, poisons, and forensic deduction, with author commentary guiding each section and illustrations by series artist Shino Touko throughout.
The Yokohama venue follows the exhibition's Tokyo debut at Tokyo Solamachi Space 634 in December 2025, but comes with upgrades. New additions include a display built around a short story called Nazo no Hako (Mystery Box), written specifically for the exhibition, plus commentary from illustrator Shino Touko that wasn't part of the Tokyo run.
New Merch and the 80-Page Guidebook
The Yokohama venue introduces exclusive merchandise: small plushies of Maomao and Jinshi, tote bags, large acrylic stands, and clear files. The standout is a newly released 80-page official guidebook (labeled an "official written record" rather than a standard art book), described as a must-have for dedicated fans.
Admission comes with an exhibition-limited A6 notebook, while anyone purchasing merch receives a clear card exclusive to the Yokohama venue. Regular tickets are available through Lawson Ticket, and goods-bundled tickets through the Hero Bunko STORE. General admission runs ¥2,000 (approximately $13), with elementary through high school tickets at ¥1,000 and preschool-age children admitted free.
The Franchise at 45 Million Copies
The Apothecary Diaries is a light novel mystery series about Maomao, a pharmacist's daughter working as a poison taster in the imperial rear palace who keeps solving court mysteries. Written by Natsu Hyuuga with illustrations by Shino Touko, it's published under Imagica Infos' Hero Bunko imprint and is widely credited with launching the rear-palace fiction trend in Japanese publishing.
The series has crossed 45 million copies in circulation across the original novels and two separate manga adaptations published by Square Enix and Shogakukan. The Anime Anime report notes that the exhibition covers material through roughly the fourth novel volume, which corresponds to the TV anime's second season.
Looking Ahead
The Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse exhibition runs daily from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last entry at 6:30 p.m.) through June 21, 2026. The venue is about a six-minute walk from Bashamichi or Nihon-odori stations on the Minatomirai Line.
On the anime side, The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 premieres in October 2026, with the franchise's first theatrical film following in December 2026. Crunchyroll has confirmed it will stream Season 3 internationally, continuing its pickup of the first two seasons. The original light novels are available in English digitally through J-Novel Club and in print through Square Enix Books.