Month: October 2017

Japanese Mascots Play Soccer

Yuruchara team photo

Today in Tokyo, several mascots got together to play soccer near Osaki station. Osaki’s mascot, Ichiban Taro, was there, as was reigning Yuruchara Grand Prix champion, Shinjou-kun the extinct river otter.

It was more of a penalty shootout than a match, with mascots pairing off to compete against each other until a winner could be decided. The eventual winner was the local TV station mascot, a yellow dog named Shinagawan. At one point an anthropomorphic tomato slice named Tomato Ningen missed the goal and the ball hit me. This is a high-risk hobby.

Shinjou-kun shoots and scores.

Nonko scores a goal.

Harajuku Miccolo and Momo compete to win.

Local mascot Osaki Ichibantaro displays some fancy footwork.

Mascots in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Softkuri Inu, Haniton, Umeneba-chan

An environmental-conservation-themed event took place today in the picturesque Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. The event was called the GTF Green Challenge Day, and various eco-friendly mascots showed up to lend their support, including spherical yellow Fukushima mascots Kibitan and Yuzutaro.

Here are the yuruchara I managed to encounter:

Naraha City’s citrus-fruit-headed mascot, Yuzutaro

Ibaraki Prefecture’s Natto fairy (and girlfriend of Nebaru-kun), Umeneba-chan, stretches to her full height.

Shibuya’s pink ice cream/dog/dog poo, Softkuri-Inu, topples over.

Anthropomorphic honey toast character, Haniton

Shinkyu-san is the mascot for a campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It must be hot in that costume!

Biodiversity mascot, Sato-kun

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