Tag - mascots

 
 

MASCOTS

Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
May 5, 2018
Susaki otter Chiitan leads a new generation of mascots with personality
Registration for this year’s Yuru-kyara Grand Prix opens on May 7, with eyes nationwide turning to see which cute and cuddly mascot will snap up the prestigious award in 2018.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 13, 2018
Afghan Embassy plans to deploy mascots
If a public entity wants to promote itself in Japan, one of the most effective ways may be to create a yuru-kyara — a lovable mascot that catches people's hearts. And that's exactly what the Afghanistan Embassy in Tokyo is doing.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 28, 2018
Futuristic, traditionally attired superheroes selected as Tokyo 2020 mascots
Tokyo 2020 organizers unveiled Wednesday the official mascots for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, based on a futuristic vision of the world with the two characters decked out in traditional blue-checkered and a pink cherry-blossom-theme attire, respectively.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Feb 24, 2018
Success of Pyeongchang Olympic mascots leaves Japan in a bind
While the performances of athletes have hogged much of the spotlight at the Pyeongchang Olympics, it’s been hard to ignore the stuffed tigers the winners have received on the podium at the conclusion of their events.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 7, 2017
Final selections for Tokyo 2020 mascot design to face student vote for first time ever
Organizers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Thursday unveiled three final candidates for the games' official mascot, passing the baton to the nation's elementary school students — who will pick the winner in a vote starting Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media
Nov 25, 2017
Narita's Unari-kun named mascot of 2017
Unari-kun, the official mascot of Narita City in Chiba Prefecture, defeated 1,157 rivals from localities nationwide to win this year's Yuru-kyara Grand Prix title. Chiryuppi of Chiryu, Aichi Prefecture, and Torai-kun of Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, took second and third spots, respectively.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 22, 2017
Olympic mascot contest to start in August with over ¥1 million in prize money
The contest to design the official mascot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will kick off in August, and Japan's schoolchildren will pick the winner.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 24, 2016
Marketing push for Hokkaido Shinkansen blasts off
As Japan gets ready for the start of the new Hokkaido Shinkansen on March 26, many companies are launching marketing tie-ups — with some odd results.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2016
Funassyi character lends support and product license to Tohoku recovery groups
The pear-like character Funassyi may seem at first glance to be from another world, but the unofficial mascot of Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, is starting to make a real difference in this one.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 28, 2016
Cutesy mascots lead charge to woo customers away from electricity giants
In the battle for a slice of the ¥8.1 trillion ($72 billion) retail electricity market, Japan's biggest power companies are lining up against a cuddly bear, a fluffy white dog and a gorilla in business attire.

Longform

Sociologist Gracia Liu-Farrer argues that even though immigration doesn't figure into Japan's autobiography, it is more of a self-perception than a reality.
In search of the ‘Japanese dream’