Tag: Tokyo

Medicinal Mascots

On August 23, 2022

In Japan, pharmaceutical companies almost always have mascots, so this weekend I went to the Japan Drugstore Show, a giant pharmaceutical trade show in the cavernous convention centre Tokyo Big Sight, in the hope of catching sight of a few cuddly characters. I was not disappointed!

Kero-chan and Koro-chan, the frog mascots for Kowa Pharmaceuticals since 2008, were present. Statues of these amiable amphibians can be spotted in pharmacies around the country. Kowa have always had a frog mascot of some kind since one first appeared on boxes of their hives medication in 1949.

I also ran into a big white cat called NECO, the mascot for Hakugen Earth dehumidifiers.

Ohta Inyan, the blue-haired cat mascot for the gastrointestinal medicine Ohta Issan, was giving a presentation about the various ingredients of the famous antacid.

Sato-chan and Satoko-chan, the colourful elephant mascots of Sato Pharmaceuticals, were also at the Japan Drugstore Show.

Sato-chan (the orange one) has been around since 1961. There’s even a mini museum inside a pharmacy in Ginza, Tokyo, dedicated to the pachyderm pair. It’s worth a visit, if you’re in the neighbourhood.

I had another encounter with pharmaceutical mascots last Autumn, at Kanda Myojin Shrine, where the mascots gather once a year to pray for people’s health.

Medicinal Mascots at Kanda Myojin Shrine

One popular mascot at the shrine was Bin-kun. Bin-kun is a bottle of Yomeishu, a medicinal tonic (14% proof) for physical fatigue. Bin-kun was wearing a facemask despite not having a nose or mouth.

Kan-chan, a pink penguin girl who has the misfortune of being shaped like an enema, is the mascot for Ichijiku enemas. I was very pleased to snap a photo of a priest from the shrine posing with Kan-chan. A unique sight indeed!

Kan-chan poses with a priest at Kanda Shrine

I’m glad these mascots are out there rooting for everyone’s health, and I hope to meet them all again.

Licensing Japan 2019

By Chris

On April 26, 2019

In Japan, Mascots, Nyango Star, Tokyo

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

Mascot Wrestling

By Chris

On November 13, 2018

In Japan, Mascots, Tokyo, Videos

Kouenji’s mascot Psyche Delhi-san takes on Tomato Ningen, the human/tomato slice.

Last month I went to a mascot event in Kouenji, a grungy corner of Tokyo known for its live music scene and second-hand clothes shops. Appropriately for the location, the mascots in attendance were mostly obscure or unofficial. The highlight of the day was a wrestling tournament held in front of the station, during which the furry characters battled each other with amusingly clumsy and uncoordinated piledrivers and chokeslams.

Adachin: Stray Mascot

By Chris

On September 9, 2018

In Japan, Mascots, Tokyo

Today I caught a rare appearance by Adachin, a blue and white Japanese Chin dog and the unofficial mascot of Tokyo’s Adachi Ward.

Adachin has an interesting backstory. He was originally conceived of in 2007 as a character for promoting arts and culture in Adachi, and was designed by Jun Aoki, an animator on the cult anime, Pop Team Epic. However, a newly elected mayor cancelled the plan, so Adachin was left a masterless mascot and now identifies as a stray dog. These days, Adachin sells T-shirts and other merchandise online with slogans like, “The mayor hated me,” and, “I got fired.”

Today, Adachin was in his hometown of Adachi Ward, attending a craft market held in the P-kun Cafe, an establishment themed around another character, P-kun, who is the yellow mascot of the P Ark chain of pachinko parlours and looks like Pac-Man with a nose and body.

It was great to finally see Adachin in the flesh. He was quite a striking sight, with his vivid colours and long fur, and he was happy to pose for plenty of pictures. It was a rare treat, since Adachin only surfaces a couple of times a year to support local events such as this small market. I hope Adachin’s fortunes change and we see more of him in the future.

Mascots in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

By Chris

On October 1, 2017

In Japan, Mascots

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

Togosupo Festival 2017

By Chris

On July 24, 2017

In Japan, Mascots

Nonko and Osaki Ichibantaro

Yesterday was the day of Togosupo, a mascot-packed event held on the shopping street on either sides of Togoshi-Kouen station in Tokyo. Sporting events like basketball and soccer were held, culminating in a tug of war match between two teams of mascots. Hosting the festival were local characters Minami-chan, Ryuunoshin, and Togocho. Chief among the dozen other yuru-chara gathered at Togosupo was Togoshi-Ginjiro, the mascot for nearby Togoshi-Ginza.

Togoshi Ginjiro

Tokyo barbers’ association mascot, Toco-kun, with Togocho, the mascot for Togoshi 5 Chome.

Kumamoto’s Higomaru, looking deflated.

Osaki Ichibantaro and Ryuunoshin.

The tug of war is about to begin.

Ginza Willow Festival 2017

By Chris

On May 6, 2017

In Japan, Kumamon, Mascots

Yesterday various yuru-chara mascots from around Japan were to be found on Tokyo’s Nishi-Ginza Dori for the 11th annual Willow Festival, a festival named after the trees that line the street.

The best-known of the characters in attendance was the ubiquitous Kumamon, who soaked up most of the attention as he paraded around in a traditional robe.

Kumamon

Kumamon was joined by fellow bear, Arukuma, the official mascot of Nagano prefecture. He enjoys walking and has a variety of different hats.

Arukuma

Also at the event was the minimalistic Kitekero-kun, the “hospitalitiy section manager” of Yamagata prefecture, pictured here without his trademark rolling suitcase.

Kitekeru-kun

Gunma-chan and Mito-chan, pictured below, have a lot in common. They are both tiny and are named after their hometowns. Gunma-chan has been around since 1983 (since when he has evolved from a blue-maned horse into his current incarnation), and won the coveted Yuruchara Grand Prix prize in 2014. Mito-chan, of Mito City, Ibaraki, has only been around for four years and is modelled on the television period drama character, Mito Komon.

Gunma-chan (left) meets Mito-chan (right)