Last month I went to the annual Gotochi Character Festival in Sumida, Tokyo, which took place in three spots around the base of the Tokyo Sky Tree (Japan’s tallest tower). About 100 mascots from all over Japan came to the event, and I took lots of pictures. Among the highlights for me were appearances from the brand new mascots Kitanyan (trendy cat mascot for Jujo Ginza shopping arcade in Tokyo) and Komikyan (a baby version of Mikyan, a dog/tangerine hybrid mascot from Ehime), as well as the final appearance of Yuzugappaa—the popular half-citrus fruit, half-kappa (a folkloric water imp) mascot of Kito, Tokushima, who is now going into “hibernation” for undisclosed reasons.
Gingiskan No Jin-kun, the lamb mascot from HokkaidoTochisuke the half-dog/half-warehouse mascot of Tochigi Cityeccentric unofficial regional mascots Funassyi and Kikuchikun face off on stage.Kumamon, the bear-like Monster mascot of Kumamoto PrefectureMatagi no Momiji-chan the hunter-hunting pink deerBari-san, the giant chick mascot of Imabari CityMikyan and Komikyan, tangerine puppies from Ehime PrefectureFukkachan, the mascot of Fukaya City, is a woodland creature with green onion antlers.Kitanyan, the fashionable cat mascot for Jujo Ginza shopping arcade in Shinagawa, TokyoUdon Nou (a noodle-brained character from Kagawa) meets Yuzugappa (a hybrid of a kappa and a yuzu).Shinjokun, the extinct otter with a bowl of noodles on its head, from Susaki CityFunassyi, the pear fairy from Funabashi, jumps for the crowd.
