Japan’s Police Mascots

For those of you that live in Tokyo you might be fooled into thinking that Japan has just one police mascot, and that’s exactly what I first thought when I came to Japan. After attending a mascot festival, I found a tanuki dressed as a policeman. I soon discovered that he was the mascot for the Shiga police department. It quickly dawned on me that Pipo-kun didn’t represent the police force for the whole country but in fact just Tokyo.

After weeks of research I can now present the most comprehensive look at Japan’s police mascots. I’d like to shift some of the attention away from Pipo-kun and onto some of the other interesting prefectures and their characters. Listed below are 48 police mascots, one for each prefecture including one extra for the city of Saga in Yokohama, Kanagawa. Beside each character is a number which corresponds to a numbered map, displayed at the bottom of the page so you can see where the character comes from.

The various mascots often take on the appearance of one of the symbols of the prefecture. Each prefecture usually has four symbols which include a flower, bird, tree and fish. Being as a fish and trees are not too cute most have opted for the prefecture bird. Speciality food, famous animals, local legends and landmarks are also used. Many of the mascots have a male and female character, invariably the female mascot was added later in what is most likely an easy way to address gender equality issues. Try to choose your favourite character and answer the poll at the bottom of the page.

1. Hokuto-kun
ほくと君

Hokuto-kun takes on the image of various animals living in Hokkaido including, a rabbit, owl, horse, fox and lastly, human. He has large ears like a rabbit to hear the opinions and requests of residents. With the eyes of the owl he’s able to watch out and protect the locals. And finally the legs of a horse ensures he has the speed to respond quickly to accidents. His name comes from ‘Hokutosei’ The Japanese word for the big dipper which signifies the bright future of Hokkaido.

2. Api-kun Repi-chan
アピーくん レピーちゃん

These two, possibly Gatchaman inspired are the police mascots for Aomori prefecture. The siblings take on the appearance of a type of swan called Bewick’s Swan which is a symbol of the prefecture. Api-kun’s name comes from a combination of the ‘a’ in Aomori and the ‘p’ in police. Repi-chan’s name is somewhat less obvious with the ‘re’ coming from Lady and again the ‘p’ from police. Api was born on July 4, 1997 and Repi-chan on April 24, 2003.

3. Kaze-Pikapo & Ame-Pikapo
風ぴかぽ 雨ぴかぽ

In 2005 Iwate changed their mascot from a green pheasant (bird symbol of the prefecture) called Keitaro-kun to a more modern mascot that would reflect the diversity of the residents and Iwate police force. Kaze in Japanese means wind and ame is rain. Kaze-Pikapo is a bag of wind and Ame-Pikapo a drop of rain. The onamatopia for the sound a flashing siren makes is ‘pipo’ which explains the second part of their names. The design comes from a famous poem by Kenji Miyazawa, a poet and childrens book writer from Iwate. It starts “Not losing to the rain, not losing to the wind”.

4. Miyagi-kun
みやぎくん

The wild goose and the Miyagi bush clover (Lespedeza) are two symbols of Miyagi prefecture, both of which are incorporated into the police mascot. Miyagi-kun holds the clover in his hand which is acting as an antenna for his radio. He was born on the June 1, 1992.

5. Mamoru-kun
まもる君

Modelled on the letter A from Akita, Mamoru-kun is also the shape of the tree symbol of the prefecture which is the Akita-sugi or Akita cedar. Mamoru means protect but it can also mean to follow the law. He also has a friend called Ai-chan who seems to be a cheerleader.

6. Kamon-kun
カモン君

The Kamoshika or serow is a goat like animal that can be found in Yamagata and the chosen animal to represent the police force. His name comes from the animal but is also a plays on the English phrase ‘Come on’. He states that if you have any problems you shouldn’t hesitate to contact the police.

7. Fukuboushi-kun & Fukuboshi-san
福ぼうしくん 福ぼうしさん

Okiagari-koboshi are traditional papier-mache dolls, famous in the Aizu region of Fukushima. The toy is designed so that it always returns to an upright position when knocked over. Okiagari-koboshi are considered good-luck charms and a symbol of perseverance and resilience. The two Fukuboushi’s are modelled on these self righting dolls and are said to protect the people of Fukushima and their happiness from crimes and accidents. This is further illustrated in their name, ‘fuku’ means happiness while the ‘boushi’ means stop or avoid. Just in case you want to know their birthday it’s October 7.

8. Hibari-kun
ひばり君

Hibari is Japanese for skylark and a symbol of Ibaraki prefecture. Hibari-kun was born in Mito, the capital city of Ibaraki on October 1st 1998. His mission is to protect the residents of the prefecture and help them to live peaceful and safe lives.

9. Ruri-chan
ルリちゃん

Born in 1986 on June 15 at the foot of a mountain, the cheerful bird represents Tochigi. Ruri-chan is a Blue-and-White Flycatcher a migratory song bird and symbol of Tochigi. In Japanese it’s called a ‘ooruri’ which is where the mascot’s name comes from. Ruri-chan says her best point is her smile, her favourite colour is azure blue, her hobby is traveling and favourite food is strawberries from Tochigi. She’s holding the leaf from a Japanese horse chestnut, another symbol of the prefecture.

10. Joushu-kun & Miyama-chan
上州くん みやまちゃん

Gunma used to be called ‘Joushu’ which explains the male horses name. Miyama seems to be a popular name of hotels and businesses in Gunma but I’m not sure if there’s a deeper significance. The prefecture chose two horses because Gunma used to be a centre for horsebreeding. Infact this was the reason the name changed from Joushu to Gunma. The two kanji in Gunma can mean ‘group of horses’. The mascots are kind, strong and gentle. Joushu-kun was born on January 1, 2000 while Miyama-chan was born April 1, 2001.

11. Popo-kun
ぽっぽ君

In October 2003 Popo-kun was unveiled to the people of Saitama. The bird was designed by the staff of the Saitama police and is based on the bird symbol of Saitama; the Eurasian Collared Dove. The shape of Popo-kun is an egg shape because the Japanese word for egg is ‘tamago’, tama by itself means ball or drop and appears at the end of Saitama.

12. C-POC
シーポック

Chiba prefecture has the majority of its borders facing water, with the Pacific Ocean to the east and Tokyo Bay on the west. To reflect the importance of the sea they chose a dolphin to be the police mascot. The blue is of course for the sea and the yellow of his shoes symbolize the rapeseed blossoms which are a common sight in the prefecture. On his chest is the logo CP which stands for Chiba Police, although its also said to stand for citizen and police. He was introduced in September 1990.

13. Pipo-kun
ピーポくん

The mascot for the Tokyo police force is probably the most well known Police mascot in Japan. Born on April 17, 1987, his name comes from the first two letters of people and police. A combination of several animals, he takes the best parts in order to be the best law-enforcement officer: his large ears help him hear people in trouble, an antennae to catch quick movement and large eyes to watch every corner of society. Read more about him here.

14. Pi-gull
ピーガルくん

P-gull’s name comes from the ‘P’ in police and ‘gull’ the bird symbol of Kanagawa. P-gull has wings protruding from his helmet, these are special ears which help the character hear the voice of citizens and it even catches their dreams. The white of his costume represents the seagull, the blue the sea and the yellow the feeling of warmth. Born in 1992 P-gull is according to his website loved by everyone from the old to young.

14. Ajisai Seyano & Keyaki Seyano
瀬谷野あじさい 瀬谷野けやき

Also from Kanagawa this pair don’t represent the prefecture but just a small ward (suburb) of Yokohama called Seya (1 of 18 in the city). The twins were born on October 1st and incorporate many symbols from the city including the owl which inspired the design and the ajisai hydrangea and keyaki tree which are used in their names. Their aim is to make the city safe, secure and loved by everyone. Ajisai the girl on the left is easygoing and likes sweets, while her brother Keyaki is cheerful and enjoys his job working in the traffic department arresting drunken drivers. Matt Alt has written an interesting piece on the pair on CNNGO.

15. Hikaru-kun & Hikari-chan
ひかる君 ひかりちゃん

Koshihikari is a popular variety of rice cultivated in Japan and the subject of Niigata’s two police mascots. The Koshihikari produced in Niigata is considered by many to be the best rice in the world and has a suitably expensive price tag. With strong hands and large eyes Hikaru-kun and Hikari-chan can protect the citizens of Niigata. Hikaru-kun was born first in December 1992 with Hikari-chan arriving later in November 1998.

16. Tateyama-kun
立山くん

Tateyama was designed by Fujiko Fujio the penname for two manga artists called Hiroshi Fujimoto and Moto Abiko. They are most famous for creating Doraemon and Obake no Q-taro. Both artists came from Toyama but moved to Tokyo for work. The design and name of the character comes from Mount Tate (Tateyama) one of the tallest peaks in the Hida Mountains.

17. Inuwashi-kun & Inuwashi-chan
いぬわし君 いぬわしちゃん

The bird symbol of Ishikawa is the golden eagle which in Japanese is ‘inuwashi’ (dog eagle). The birds are found living on the slopes of Mt Haku a dormant volcano and one of Japan’s top three sacred mountains (Sanreizan) together with Mount Fuji and Mount Tate (16. Tateyama-kun). The powerful, quick and cheerful creatures help protect the people of Ishikawa. Inuwashi-kun was Born on August 26, 1994 and his sister on May 14, 2001.

18. Ryupi-kun
リュウピー君

Fukui prefecture is the location for Japans only dedicated dinosaur museum and considered one of the best three in the world. Fukui is also the location for the Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, which has yielded many interesting discoveries. His name comes from kyourue (恐竜) which means dinosaur in Japanese, the second kanji (ryu) which appears in the word means dragon. The pi at the end of the name… yup you guessed it stands for police and people.

19. Fuji-kun
ふじ君

On the south border of Yamanashi prefecture Mt Fuji stands. The familiar sight and a symbol of strength and power was chosen for obvious reasons. Fuji-kun was created on March 3, 1988 and seeks to win the affection of the people and make them feel safe.

20. Raipo-kun
ライポくん

‘Raichou’ is the Japanese for the Rock Ptarmigan and bird symbol of Nagano. With its beautiful tall mountains and clear air Nagano is the perfect place for the bird. The character was designed to appeal to everyone and give the police a friendly image. He is said to come from the future in order to help keep Nagano crime free. Born January 10, 1992 his name comes from ‘raichou’ the name of the bird and the ‘po’ in police. The ‘p’ is also said to stand for ‘peace’ and ‘people’ as Raipo-kun wants the people of Nagano to live peacefully.

21. Rapi
らぴぃ

Like Raipo-kun, Rapi is a Rock Ptarmigan and the bird symbol of Gifu. The north part of Gifu is dominated by the mountain range called the Japanese Alps. This is where Rapi came from to help the residents of the prefecture. The area is also said to be a leader in the apparel industry which explains why Rapi is so smartly dressed. The blue hat and shoes symbolize the water and the green trousers the green mountains. His name has the same origin as Raipo-kun.

22. Sp-kun
えすぴー君

Shizuoka Prefecture where Sp-kun is from has four football (soccer) teams with two doing well in the J-league. Shizuoka also leads Japan in the number of elementary schoolboys who play soccer. The city is well known for its love of the sport so it’s no wonder the police chose a football for their mascot. The Shizuoka police also state there are many similarities with the game and police work. The many black and white sides of a ball could represent the many facets of police work. The offence and defence of players are also techniques used by the police. And like footballers they aim to respond to incidents with speed and accuracy. Football has strict rules, which could be compared to the law and how police follow it. Finally like a football match the police require the support of the public to cheer them on.

23. Konohakeibu
コノハけいぶ

The bird symbol of Aichi is of course an owl, a Eurasian scops-owl to be precise which is called ‘konohazuku’ in Japanese. The migratory bird is found throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Shinshiro in Aichi is a famous spot where the calls of the owls can be heard. So the first part of the name comes from the type of owl while the later, ‘keibu’ means police inspector.

24. Mipo-kun
ミーポ君

Mie prefectures bird symbol is the snowy plover. The hard working bird takes his name from the name of the prefecture and the police.

25. Keita-kun
けいた君

Shiga’s police mascot Keita-kun is modelled on a Tanuki, a Japanese raccoon dog and legendary creature from Japanese folklore. In Shigaraki, a small town in Shiga, they are famous for their pottery and for producing tanuki statues. A special tanuki policeman was made by local residents and given to the police force. It was later made into an illustration for their website and used as their mascot. The ‘kei’ in his name comes from ‘keisatsu’ meaning police, while the ‘ta’ is short for tanuki. Unlike the mischievous folklore creature, Keita-kun is reliable and trustworthy.

26. Kyoppi
キョッピー

In the spring of 2001 Kyoppi was born. Once again a bird was chosen as the mascot for the area. A type of seabird called the Streaked Shearwater his name comes from combining Kyoto with police. The p also stands for people and peace. Kyoppi is friendly and cheerful and always looks out for the safety of citizens.

27. Fuu-kun & Kei-chan
フーくん ケイちゃん

The smiling siblings from Osaka both have the letter ‘V’ on their hats which stands for vitality. They also have a red light on top which is said to expresses their attitude for coping with emergency at any time. Fuu-kun, the boy and older of the pair takes his name from Osaka-fu (‘fu’ means prefecture but not used for every area) and the girl, Kei-chan takes the ‘kei’ from Keisatsu (police).

28. Kouhe-kun & Mamori-chan
こうへいくん まもりちゃん

Despite becoming extinct in Japan in 1971 the oriental stork or Kounotori is the bird symbol of Hyogo. Good news is that in May 2007 a hatchling was born in the area. The chick was the offspring of two storks who were bred in captivity in a breeding park called Konotori no Sato Park, part of an effort to reintroduce the bird to the area. Kouhe-kun’s name comes from kouhei meaning fair and justice, Mamori on the other hand means protection or defence. Kouhe-kuns birthday is January 28 and Mamori-chan’s November 9.

29. Napo-kun
ナポくん

Nara is famous for the deer that roam through the town and park. Visitors can buy deer biscuits and feed the tame creatures. Legend says the mythological god Takemikazuchi arrived in Nara riding a white deer to guard the newly built capital of Heijō-kyō. Since then the deer have been regarded as heavenly animals, protecting the city and the country. Sento-kun from Nara is also modelled on the deer. Napo-kun was born August 27th 1996. His name comes from abbreviating the two words Nara and police.

30. Kishu-kun
きしゅう君

Wakayama was once known as the Kishu Domain before the Edo period which explains the name of the Wakayama police mascot. There’s also a dog from Wakayma called Kishu-ken. This breed was originally used to hunt boar and deer. Kishu are often very quiet and will stalk prey silently preferring not to bark. Kishu-kun was born on July 1, 1994 and proved an extremely successful character in Wakayama where he appears on mobile phone straps, t-shirts, stuffed toys and much more. There’s also a four meter tall Idle Idol on the side of the road in Arida.

31. Patoru-kun & Patoko-chan
ぱとろーくん ぱとこちゃん

Tottori in Japanese is 鳥取, the two kanji mean “bird” and “to get”. This was because early residents in the area made their living catching the region’s numerous waterfowl. The bird symbol of Tottori is also a mandarin duck. Patoru-kun and Patoko-chan are kind, cheerful and friendly. Their names likely come from the word patrol.

32. Mikopi-kun
みこぴーくん

Okuninushi no Mikoto (‘great land master’) is an important Shinto god from Izumo province now called Shimane. He is believed to be the god of nation-building, farming, business and medicine and ruled the area. Izumo Taisha in Taishamachi, Shimane, is one of the oldest shrines in Japan and dedicated to Okuninushi. The Shimane police force don’t make it clear but it’s likely Mikopi-kun is based on this important god. Mikoto is a common ending to gods names and could mean highness or lord. The first part of this word is used in Mikopi-kun’s name with the final ‘pi’ coming from police.

33. Momo-kun & Momoka-chan
メプル君 ももかちゃん

The young boy Momotaro is a popular hero from Japanese folklore and strongly associated with Okayama, where he is believed to have been born. According to legend, an old, childless woman discovers a giant peach floating down the river. She takes it home to her husband where they cut it open to discover a baby inside. They name him Momotaro, momo after the peach and taro because it’s a common boy’s name for the eldest son of a family. Like the legend Momo-kun is kind hearted and strong. He was born on February 2, 1990. Momoka-chan was born 19 years later in 2009, January 19. The flower symbol of Okayama is the peach blossom which Momoka-chan has in her hair.

34. Maipuru-kun
メプル君

Slightly more unusual than choosing the prefectures bird symbol Hiroshima picked its tree and flower. The tree is the Japanese Maple a highly sought after tree for its attractive leaf shapes and variety of colours.

35. Fukumaru-kun
ふくまる君

One of the prefecture symbols of Yamaguchi is the Takifugu better know as fugu. Shimonoseki a city in Yamaguchi is known as fugu city and supplies a large part of Japan with the fish. It was also the first city to lift the ban on fugu sales during the Meiji period. The fugu can inflate its body several times it’s normal size and of course can poison it’s predators. The toxic fish is considered a delicacy in Japan despite the dangers of eating it. In Yamaguchi they call the fish “fuku,” which means “to blow” or “happiness.” “Maru” the second part of Fukumaru’s name means circle.

36. Uzushio-kun
うずしお君

Uzushio means whirlpool in Japanese, the Tokushima prefecture symbol was created in October 1992 and inspired by the Naruto whirlpools famous in the area. The Naruto whirlpools are tidal whirlpools in the channel between Naruto in Tokushima and Awaji Island in Hyogo. Uzushio-kun isn’t a whirlpool though, he’s a sun and represents the light and energy of the police force which he passes onto the prefecture residents. Apparently just like the police he’s fair, reliable and kind.

37. Yoichi-kun
よいち君

Kagawa’s capital city, Takamatsu, was the location for an historic battle between the Heike and Genji clans. Nasu no Yoichi was a famed samurai who fought in the Genpei War and known for his skilled archery. An enemy of his side is known to have placed a fan at the top of a mast on one of his ships, and challenged the opposing side to shoot it off. Despite the fierce waves and the rocking of the ship, Yoichi hit the fan with just one shot. The bright and colourful mascot takes inspiration from this historical figure.

38. Mamoru-kun Shin-chan An-chan
まもる君 心ちゃん 安ちゃん

On the left we have Mamoru-kun, mamoru can mean to protect or guard and that’s what Mamoru-kun does. Stickers of the character are placed on locations in Ehime prefecture that indicate places which are safe for children to wait if they feel they are in danger. Mamoru is a mikan (satsuma) which are grown in the prefecture. The two mascots on his right are twins and Mamoru-kun’s younger siblings. The boy in the middle is called Shin-chan while the girl is called An-chan. Together the names spell “anshin” which means peace of mind or security.

39. Porin-kun & Pori-chan
ポリンくん ポーリーちゃん

Porin-kun and Pori-chan are probably the only Japanese otters you’ll see in Koichi. The creature was once a common sight in Japan but due to pollution and hunting the otter disappeared in the 1930s. The last official sighting of one was in the southern part of Kochi Prefecture in 1979, when it was photographed in the mouth of the Shinjo River in Susaki. Porin-kun and Pori-chan have appeared in many campaigns and public relations activities supporting the police department.

40. Fukei-kun
ふっけい君

On the 1st of July 2004 Fukei-kun was crated to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Fukuoka police force. His name combines the ‘Fuku’ from Fukuoka and the ‘kei’ from police (keisatsu). He carries a lantern with Fukuoka written in Kanji on the side and wears a happi; a traditional festival coat. Fukuoka is famous for the Hakata lantern festival where more than 10,000 paper lanterns light up the streets, and processions of happi wearing people walk along carrying them. Fukei-kun’s special skills include judo and kendo, he enjoys participating in events and his favourite thing in the world is people smiling.

41. Gorou-kun
ごろうくん

On the 11th of November 1999 Gorou-kun was born and started working in public relation campaigns and traffic safety classes for the police. ‘Mutsugorou’ is the Japanese word for mudskipper and where Gorou-kun takes his name. The wide eyed mudskipper a creature common on the coast line of saga represents the police forces friendliness, their sense of justice and cheerfulness.

42. Catch-kun
キャッチ君

Catch-kun symbolizes the age of information and technology. He’s a robot who can quickly catch the voice of citizens and solve their problems.

43. Yuupi
ゆっぴー

Yuupi is a bear and represents Kumamoto prefecture. The two kanji used in Kumamoto can mean “origin of the bear”. Yuupi made his debut on October 1, 1997. He was named Yuupi for a variety of reasons. Firstly Yuuki mans brave, Yuujou means friendship and Yuu can mean gentle. The pi of course comes from police.

44. Pinky-kun
ピンキー君

Oita Prefecture is famous for Mt.Takasaki National Park sometimes known as “Monkey Mountain”. The mountain is home to about 1,700 wild Japanese Macaques. Pinky is modelled on this type of monkey and he has a family too. His wife is a policewoman, his son is an elementary school student and the young girl is at nursery.

45. Miyakei-kun
みやけい君

In a competition to name the Miyazaki police mascot the prefecture received 13,794 submission. Like many of the mascots Miyakei-kuns names combines the name of the prefecture and the Japanese word for police (Keisatsu). The design however is a little more unusual. The police force set a design competition for members of the police force and their family members to come up with a mascot. They received 132 submissions and the chosen design was created by a police officer. Miyakei-kun is said to dressed in a jomon (14,000 BCE to 300 BCE) style as Miyazaki has many interesting Jomon archelogical sites.

46. Chesto-kun
チェストくん

The design of Chesto-kun comes from Kagoshima’s famous and active volcano; Sakurajima. The name ‘Chesto’ was taken from an old Kagoshima dialect which could mean ‘whaaaaaa’ or the sort of thing you might say when running into battle. The word expresses the will of the police to cooperate and overcome difficulties.

47. Shisa-kun
しーさー君

Found all over Okinawa, the Shisa is a traditional decoration that is placed on roofs and outside villages, homes and temples. It is a cross between a lion and a dog, and is often found in pairs, one with its mouth open and one closed. The Shisa with an open mouth wards off evil spirits while the other keeps the good spirits in. The lion-dog was introduced to Okinawa through trade with China in the late 14th century and was appropriated and developed by the Okinawan
people. Considered a guardian of the island, Shisa-kun is described as friendly and cute. His wears a navy blue winter uniform and the colour of his skin is a ‘tropical fruit orange’.

If you discover a police mascot from anywhere in the world I’d love to see it. Leave a link in the comments. If you have an Idle Idol photo you like to send us please get in contact. You can also add your photos to the Idle Idol flickr group. Finally, let us know which one is your favourite by taking part in the poll below.

Astro Boy outside an antique toy shop in Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku

Astro Boy in the Tokyo Anime Center in Akihabara, Tokyo

Also in the Tokyo Anime Center

Old Atom Toys at the Tin Toy Museum in Yokohama

Astro Art at the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum

Astro Boy through the ages

Astro Boy

Atom, or Astro Boy as he is known in the West, takes the front cover of Idle Idol, so we thought it was about time we had a look at the different designs of this iconic character.

The hugely popular robot-boy was created by manga artist, producer, animator and licensed physician Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka, often called “the father of manga,” introduced Atom in 1951 with a manga called Captain Atom. Astro Boy looks like a human child who is about ten years old, but he’s really a robot with special powers. His powers include incredible strength, an amazingly powerful computer brain, rocket-boots, magnified hearing, the ability to send light beams from his eyes, enhanced sight, the ability to shoot lasers from his finger tips, the ability to sense whether someone is good or evil and a machine gun hidden in his bum. In the manga, Astro Boy was created by the lonely Doctor Tenma who wanted to create a replica of his dead son. The Doctor became annoyed with his creation for not growing up like a normal boy, and so gave him to the Robot Circus. Later, kind Professor Ochanomizu discovered him. The Professor called on Astro Boy to solve problems and to help bring peace between humans and robots.

The character has remained an icon recognisable to today’s youth as much as those who grew up with the early manga. However the studio was worried his popularity was waning with the young. Tezuka studios collaborated with artist Lily Franky and created a fish faced fat Astro Boy which has drawn complaints from fans. If you want to see a very cool fat Astro Boy check out Youngsun Kim’s wonderful painting. In 2009 a CGI Atom was released, the slightly more Caucasian looking Astro Boy was the result of much discussion and compromise between Tezuka Productions and Imagi Animation Studios who animated the movie.

There is much fan inspired Astro Boy art and commercial products which develop or change his iconic image. I’ve seen a cute baby faced Astro, a scary fur suit Atom, graffiti Astro and a lovely knitted toy.

A number of people have noted the similarities of Astro Boy to Big Boy. Here’s an illustration which combines both characters. What do you think, do Astro Boy and Big Boy look similar?

Inflatables

I avoided having any inflatable characters In the Idle Idol book as they didn’t quite fit in. Going to the Tokyo international Anime Fair last week I spotted quite a few inflatable characters so thought it would make an interesting collection for the website.

The first character is Mr Earth, the mascot for Tokyo’s Shibaura Water Recyling Center. Check google maps to see a huge version of him painted onto their reservoir tanks.

Next we have Otosan the softbank dog and Docomodake the Docomo mushroom. Both mascots are for Japans two biggest mobile phone providers. Otosan (Japanese for dad) stars in the softbank adverts. He also has his own DVD showing his daily life.

The huge Stitch was in Akihabara. Stitch is extremely popular in Japan. It was a Japanese animation company who produced a spin off animation set on a fictional Okinawa island. Next we have a random pink ball from somewhere near Ueno, Then Pickachu and Maneki Neko. The large boy with glasses is Detective Conan a popular character from the Case Closed manga. The penguin is the Suica mascot, Suica is a rechargeable smart card for use on the trains, in convenience stores and at vending machines. The big mouthed guy in the hat is Karuojisan who’s the character for a brand of crisps. The big lion was on some random pachinko building in Tokyo.

Tower Mascots

Tawawa-chan awaits you inside Kyoto Tower and in Tokyo Tower there are the Noppon Brothers. Almost all the observation Towers in Japan have their own mascot. If they don’t have an Idle Idol they’ll almost certainly have a kigirumi (fur suit).

Opposite Kyoto station stands Kyoto Tower an observation tower and the tallest structure in the city. The steel tower has an observation deck at 100 meters and stands on top of a 9-story building. It was built to coincide with the Olympics in 1964 and is modelled on a Japanese candle.Tawawa-chan was created for the 40th anniversary of the tower. She has a thing for tall guys and on Valentine’s Day gives chocolates to the Noppon brothers.

Tokyo Tower was built in 1958 to house antennas for broadcasting and observation decks. Influenced by the design of the Eiffle Tower, Tokyo Tower has become an equally iconic part of the landscape. The tower is 332.5 metres and the tallest artificial structure in Japan. The Noppon brothers were also created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their tower. The older brother wearing blue dungarees is quiet, shy and cool. The younger dressed in red is cheerful and lively but gets lonely when away from his friends. The twins can be seen outside the tower but not at the same time unless it’s a special event.

At the bottom of the page you can see all the main tower mascots in Japan and below, which tower they represent and where you can find them.

• Toripi (Dream Port Tower – TOTTORI)
• Tawawa-chan (Kyoto Tower – KYOTO)
• Noppi (Higashiyama Sky Tower – AICHI)
• Tawa-kun (Play Park Gold Tower – KAGAWA)
• Fuuta-kun (Fukuoka Tower – FUKUOKA)
• Mizurin (Twin Arch 138 – AICHI)
• Sorara-chan (Floating Garden Observatory – OSAKA)
• Billiken (Tsutenkaku – OSAKA)
• Terebitosan (Sapporo TV Tower – HOKKAIDO)
• Noppon brothers (Tokyo Tower – TOKYO)
• Kobe Port Tower-kun (Kobe Port Tower – HYOGO)
• Gota-kun (Goryokaku Tower – HOKKAIDO)
• Sorakara-chan (Tokyo Sky Tree – TOKYO)

If you want to see what the towers really looks like, this web page has them all listed together with pictures.

Construction on another tower is well under way in Tokyo and has recently surpassed the height of Tokyo tower. Its called the Tokyo Sky Tree and is being built in the Narihirabashi / Oshiage area of Sumida Ward. When completed in 2012 it will be the tallest tower in the world at 634m.

UPDATE
Sorakara-chan the mascot for the Tokyo Sky Tree has just been launched (28/10/2010). Read here story here.

Colonel Sanders

In Japan KFC is an important place for Christmas. Many families visit the restaurant to eat the popular Christmas meal of deep fried chicken. So every year the colonel is dressed as Father Christmas to get people in the festive spirit. Throughout the year Colonel Sanders is dressed in other seasonal and unique outfits. Akihabara, famous for its numerous maid cafes, has had the colonel in a maid outfit. Other branches have dressed the colonel up as a samurai, a lobster and even Spiderman. Check out the set of all the different costumes I could find on Flickr.

In Osaka the colonel statue took on a new importance when excited Hanshin Tiger baseball fans celebrated their 1985 national championship series win by launching the mascot into Osaka’s Dotonbori River. Since then they have never won the series again and it’s losing streak is often blamed on the Curse of Colonel. After 24 years, on March 10, 2009, the mascot was recovered from the river, missing two feet, his left hand and the Colonel’s trademark glasses. It’s hoped the curse has now been lifted and the Hanshin Tigers luck will improve.?

UPDATE
On Friday the 19th of March 2010 the Colonel Sanders mascot was put back on display near the Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya. The mascot is now behind a protective case as its very delicate. Sankei Shimbun has a video on youtube showing the mascot moved into place. It reminded me that I saw a great mobile phone strap in KFC that I wish I’d bought.

Sato-chan and Satoko-chan

Just off the main road in Ginza, the cosmopolitan shopping area of Tokyo lies Shimizu Pharmacy. Like most drug stores in Tokyo they sell the usual products but as soon as you step into the shop you’ll notice two characters almost everywhere you look. Like two stone lions guarding the entrance to a temple they stand either side of the doors. The welcome mat features the pair and inside you’ll find plates, mugs and smaller collectible models. They’re mascots for Sato Pharmaceutical and stand outside drug stores all over Japan. However its only Shimizu Pharmacy which boasts a small museum dedicated to the loveable elephants.

Sato-chan the orange elephant first appeared as an illustration in 1955; then in 1961 he was launched as their first storefront mascot sitting astride a rocket. In 1982 Sato’s sister was born and began to stand alongside her brother outside stores in 1995. There have been many incarnations of the characters, and older models are scattered among the newer ones. In the past their were models which could speak to customers when they walked by. Others could sing a song if you dropped a coin in them.

The two characters are so popular that many stores chain them up to keep keen collectors and fans from stealing them. The pink Satoko-chan is particularly sought after, and as a result is a bit more rare than her brother.

The siblings are modelled after the Indian elephant, which the creators believed to have a calm and gentle nature. Sato Pharmaceuticals also chose elephants as a mascot because elephants live long lives, something the company would like to emulate. A Sato Pharmaceutical advertising representative praised the elephants for standing in front of shops all day everyday, always smiling, always being welcoming.

This pair may be the most common ‘Idle Idol’ in Japan, you can see them dressed up in different costumes all over the place. If you’re lucky you might even be given a cute pair of finger puppets if you take enough pictures of them and a kind shop owner notices you.

Tokyo Park Animals

When it came to editing Idle Idol we ended up removing a whole section called Park attendants. They didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the mascots but it was really hard to get rid of such great characters from the book.

All over Japan these creatures brighten up small parks with slides made into elephants, wobbly seat pandas and some animals just there to brighten up a small corner of fun.

Higuchi-san

This is Higuchi-san the mascot for Higuchi Pharmacy. Like a lot of Idle Idols I’ve found he obviously decided his own image would make a great mascot. Its surprising how many fat middle aged company presidents have made the same choice. Higuchi-san on the other hand is pretty slim and he had the great idea of including himself sitting on an elephant.

Surprisingly as he’s not that common, this was probably one of the first Japanese mascots I discovered when I was in Tokyo on a two week trip. I stumbled across it near my hotel and was amazed by the unusualness of it. It has to be one of my favourite Idle Idols. The vibrant colours,the disproportionally large head, his happy face and confident pose.

In the bottom picture you can see some numbers on the wall behind this large mascot in Osaka. In neon the numbers 1327 light up behind the oversized Higuchi head. This is because in an early commercial Higuchi Toshio the founder can be seen sitting on a real elephant declaring his intention for opening 1327 stores. This advert was the inspiration behind the mascot. Higuchi-san has still to realise his ambition of opening the magic number of stores as by the time the company expanded to 500 they started to see a decline in profits.

Opticians

They didn’t make it into the book but I do like these great signs spotted around Tokyo. The eyes madly rotate round and round outside various opticians and glasses shops.

Ultraman

I first spotted Ultraman in Odaiba, in a retro themed arcade shown left. I then found him proudly standing outside the Bandai headquarters who make Ultraman figures and toys. All the mascots have the distinctive yellow eyes and the red and silver costume. They also have a blue half sphere on their chest. This is a warning light which flashes red when the energy reserves have been used up.

The Ultraman series started in 1966 but has been regularly adapted until the present day. The Ultraman series was originally only 39 episodes, but it was such a commercial success that many sequels and remakes followed. Each series features a different costume for the Ultra Warriors.

In the original series, the main character is Shin Hayata, who crashes his plane into a red sphere of light. Inside the sphere, which is really an unusual vehicle, is Ultraman. After surveying the crash Ultraman finds the lifeless Hayata and, feeling pity on him, decides to merge their life force together and bring him back to life. As a result Hayata can transform into Ultraman whenever Earth is in danger from the various monsters that regularly attack it.

Ultraman is 130-feet tall, 20,000-Earth-years old, can run, swim and fly extremely fast and has an array of special powers including the Specium Ray and Ultra Slash.

The show’s creator, Eiji Tsuburaya, was also a part of the team behind the original Godzilla movie. Various monsters appeared in the show and many have been made into 3D mascots. In Japanese they are called Kaiju which translates as Strange beast. In the book you’ll find the very strange Alien Baltan and the infamous Kanegon.

UPDATE
Two new Ultramen spotted outside the TBS headquarters in Akasaka. Lastly I have to link to one of the most awesome Ultraman photos I’ve seen. The Ultraman house!!