Over 100 mascots gather in western Japan to pitch local charms

OTSU, Japan (Kyodo) -- Over 100 mascots representing their respective local regions congregated for a festival in Shiga, western Japan, on Saturday. Costumed figures, whose personas and outfits often mirror local cuisine or history, charmed festival-goers in Hikone, the city where the Hikonyan mascot, wearing a samurai helmet, was first introduced in 2006.

Hikonyan has been a key contributor to the surge in mascots, known collectively as yuru-kyara, which means loose or soft characters due to their relaxed demeanor and unpretentious image. Festival organizers launched the event in 2008 to attract tourists, and it has been held annually, barring the COVID-19 pandemic years, drawing approximately 88,000 attendees last year.

This year, characters from 35 of Japan's 47 prefectures will showcase the locale's attractions. On Saturday, Shippei, a dog-themed mascot from Iwata in Shizuoka Prefecture, elicited laughter from the audience as it exhibited its cuddly paws and performed its trademark dance. Yujin Yoda, a 20-year-old company worker who attended the event for the first time this year from Nagano Prefecture, commented with a smile, "It's really lively. The friendly atmosphere makes it a lot of fun."