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HomeExploreFunnyJapan’s Strangest Local Mascots
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A pear fairy, a chick in a bridge-shaped crown, and a bear with its head inside a melon all have places to promote. Meet Japan’s local mascots, often called yuru-chara, through photos of the costumes in action. Their oddest details are usually clues to where they come from.

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Images26

1
Funassyi
Funassyi: This yellow pear fairy cheers on Funabashi, where Japanese pears are a local specialty. The bright blue outfit…
2
Melon Kuma
Melon Kuma: The green rind around this bear’s head points to Yūbari’s famous melons. The teeth make more sense once you…
3
Barysan
Barysan: Imabari in Ehime Prefecture is known for grilled chicken, so its local mascot is a round yellow bird. The crown is…
4
Nyango Star
Nyango Star: Those pointy ears belong to a cat with an apple-red costume, a nod to apple country in Aomori. Kuroishi named…
5
Okazaemon
Okazaemon: Look at the face and then the chest. The shapes spell out the two Japanese characters in Okazaki, so this tall…
6
Sento-kun
Sento-kun: This smiling child has deer antlers, a nod to the animals long associated with Nara. Sento-kun first helped…
7
Hikonyan
Hikonyan: Hikone’s white cat wears a red samurai helmet with gold horns. The city drew on a legend about a cat that…
8
Chiitan
Chiitan is a small-clawed otter fairy who represents Akihabara’s tourism association. The pink turtle held up onstage is…
9
Gunma-chan
Gunma-chan: On this stage, Gunma-chan is the pony in the green vest and red cap. Before becoming Gunma Prefecture’s mascot…
10
Kumamon
Kumamon: This black bear with red cheeks became the face of Kumamoto’s tourism promotion around the opening of the Kyushu…
11
Sanomaru
Sanomaru: Sano’s samurai wears a ramen bowl as a hat, with noodles for bangs. The skewer raised here is an imo-furai, the…
12
Inunakin
Inunakin: Izumisano’s muscular mascot is a descendant of the hero in a local legend about a loyal dog on Mount Inunaki. The…
13
Zushihocky
Zushihocky: Hokuto turned its local surf clam sushi into a mascot with arms and legs. The bumpy white belly is meant to be…
14
Nishiko-kun
Nishiko-kun: A round gray face on two legs looks like it might roll away. Nishiko-kun is modeled on a roof tile from the…
15
Unari-kun
Unari-kun: Narita’s blue mascot has airplane wings and jet engines. Its name blends unagi, a local eel specialty, with…
16
Shinjo-kun
Shinjo-kun: The golden fringe around this otter’s hat is a ring of noodles. Susaki’s mascot represents the extinct Japanese…
17
Fukka-chan
Fukka-chan: The two green stalks on Fukka-chan’s head are Fukaya leeks, a local crop. They give the city’s mascot a pair of…
18
Shimanekko
Shimanekko: Shimane’s yellow cat wears a little shrine roof and a thick sacred rope. The hat and the rope evoke Shinto…
19
Ieyasu-kun
Ieyasu-kun: The piano keys on this little lord’s trousers point to Hamamatsu’s musical instrument makers. His usual topknot…
20
Kapal
Kapal: The green head and beak belong to a kappa, a creature from Japanese folklore. This one represents a Shiki cultural…
21
Ayukoro-chan
Ayukoro-chan: The pink figure next to the cake is Atsugi’s mascot, a pig with a sweetfish balanced on its head. In the…

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