Month: April 2019

Licensing Japan 2019

On April 26, 2019

A couple of weeks ago I went to a big expo in Tokyo called Licensing Japan, where company representatives go to meet various costumed characters to possibly license for their businesses. The existence of a giant event for mascots to schmooze potential clients shows that such characters are big business in Japan. Getting in to the event required a certain amount of Ethan Hunt-style subterfuge — I had to pose as a fancy marketing executive in order to get an entry ticket and a name tag. It was worth it to see some mascots who don’t often appear in Tokyo, and to catch a drumming performance by the always great Nyango-Star, the drumming apple/cat from Aomori Prefecture. Here are some photos:

Wasacchi is the cow mascot for the very yummy “Wasabeef” (wasabi + beef) potato chips

Penta the penguin, from the picture book series, Penguin Airplane Factory

Rojiura no Kaori, the aspiring singer cat

Mimi-chan, a rabbit from children’s picture books

Mascots Under the Cherry Blossoms

By Chris

On April 21, 2019

In Japan, Mascots, Tokyo

Spring is an eventful time of the year in my neighbourhood. When the cherry blossoms explode on the trees that line the river in Nakameguro, vendors are soon selling tasty delicacies from stalls, and the streets are bustling with revellers. Some popular mascots came out to play under the blossoms at the Meguro Sakura Festival, and I took some pictures:

Samurai Tamabe (the mascot for Japan’s national baseball team), Sanomaru, and Hoyaboya take to the stage.

Mikyan, the tangerine dog mascot of Ehime Prefecture

Fukkachan, the green onion-antlered mascot of Fukaya City, joins the others on stage.

An Encounter with Nishiko-kun

By Chris

On April 20, 2019

In Japan, Mascots, Tokyo

A few weeks ago I ventured out to Nishi-Kokobunji, on the outskirts of Tokyo, to catch a rare appearance from the local mascot, Nishiko-kun, an armless, dancing character based an ancient roof tile excavated in the area. The enigmatic Nishiko-kun rarely comes to events in other parts of the city (but has managed to fly to other countries such as the UAE and France).

I was a bit late when I arrived at the Shinto temple where Nishiko-kun was set to appear, and there was nary a soul in sight on the grounds outside, so I sheepishly entered the temple through an unmanned side door. Inside, a couple of dozen people were sitting on pews, heads bowed in quiet contemplation, as two bald Buddhist monks in robes performed a religious ritual before them, involving chanting and banging a gong. I would have assumed I’d come to the wrong address, were it not for the fuzzy grey mascot sitting in the front row, silently observing the ritual. I quietly slipped into a vacant seat.

Once the ritual was over, we were treated to an impressively nimble dance performance by Nishiko-kun, followed by a meet and greet.

Somewhere on my journey home, I mislaid the flyer for the event, so I never did work out what the religious ritual was for, but it was a fascinating spectacle nonetheless.