Welcome to the world of Yuru-Chara, adorable Japanese mascots that are often official characters created by regions to promote local tourism and culture. If you haven’t met these mascots yet, don’t worry – I’ve done the research for you and tracked down some of the cutest and most beloved ones that you can follow on social media and Youtube. I hope you enjoy learning a bit about their histories and make sure to check out our Guide To Kawaii Mascots for more background on Yuru-Chara.
Kumamon
Kumamon, a bear with black fur and red cheeks, debuted as the mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture in 2011. He is the self-proclaimed Captain of the Kumamoto Surprise Kumamon Squad, Sales Manager and Happiness Manager of Kumamoto Prefecture and even has a fan club.
One of the major reasons for Kumamon’s fame is because he became a traveling mascot, appearing at numerous events and engaging with audiences outside of Japan. Kumamon merchandise and collaborations with global brands have also boosted his popularity.
Kumamon posts regularly on his YouTube channel as well. One of his recent videos that I enjoyed was at an indoor playground in Thailand.
Follow Kumamon: Twitter/X / Instagram / TikTok / YouTube / Official Website / Merchandise
Shinjo-kun
The official mascot of Susaki City is Shinjo-kun, who appeared in 2013 and is based on an extinct river otter last seen in the area. He wears a local ramen dish as a hat.
You can check out Shinjo-kun’s English website – though it’s no longer updated, it’s still a fun photo blog showing off his past adventures and behind-the-scenes stories.
Shinjo-kun is, however, active on Twitter (X) and Instagram, and also has a YouTube channel.
Follow Shinjo-kun: Twitter/X / Instagram / YouTube / Official Website
Chiitan
Currently one of the most popular Japanese mascots, Chiitan was created in 2017 and is an “eternal 0 year old baby otter fairy” who wears a turtle as a hat. In 2016 the city of Susaki named a real Asian small-clawed otter Chiitan as its tourism ambassador and the following year the unofficial mascot was created.
Chiitan shot to fame with humorous, and occasionally controversial videos. Some people confused Chiitan for Shinjo-kun (who is more well-behaved), which in part led to the local government receiving complaints about Chiitan back in 2019, leading to suspended Twitter accounts, and even a feature on US talk show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which was a mini-saga in and of itself.
Chiitan’s controversy seems to have since been resolved, and despite their ups and downs they remain incredibly popular.
Follow Chiitan: Twitter/X / Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / Official Website
Bary-san
Bary-san is a bird mascot born in Imabari, a town known for yakitori (grilled chicken on a skewer).
He wears a crown inspired by the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge, a towel-fabric belly wrap, and a boat-shaped wallet, which is custom-made. His hobbies are eating out and collecting belly wraps.
Bary-san won 1st place in the Yuru-Chara Grand Prix, an annual Japanese mascot competition, in 2012.
Follow Bary-san: Twitter/X / Instagram / YouTube
Fukka-chan
Fukaya City’s mascot Fukka-chan is a woodland creature with negi (spring onion or leeks) as antlers who appeared in 2010.
They are an original creature called a “fukka” which is a deer-rabbit hybrid. Fukka-chan wears overalls with large tulip buttons on the straps – this is because Fukaya is known for their tulips.
Fukka-chan was chosen by Fukaya elementary students in a competition with over 1,000 applicants. They came in 3rd place in the 2015 Yuru-Chara Grand Prix.
Follow Fukka-chan: Twitter/X / Instagram / YouTube / Official Website
Shimanekko
Shimanekko, a cat wearing a shrine roof as a hat, was created in 2010 as the Shimane Prefecture Tourism mascot.
Shimanekko’s roof headdress and rope collar represent features of one of the prefecture’s famous sites, Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine. Izumo Taisha is one of Japan’s oldest and most important Shinto shrines.
They placed 6th in the 2012 Yuru-Chara Grand prix.
Follow Shimanekko: Twitter/X / Instagram / TikTok / YouTube / Official Website
Are there other mascots that you like to follow on social media that we should feature on the blog next? Let us know! You can also find out more about Japanese mascots at Mondo Mascots and Yuru-chara Wiki.
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