It’s that time of the year again – the time when people come together to cast a vote on their favorite mascots. This time, the first-ever Bus Character Championship will be held, giving every prefecture’s bus mascot a chance to be voted for by people online. Though most of these mascots are not that popular…

Are you a fan of Japanese castles? Do you make it a point to visit these historical fortresses while in Japan? Are you fascinated by these beautiful structures which have withstood the test of time and continue standing tall and proud to this day? If you like castles and want to see them in one…

The Yuru-Chara Grand Prix is annually held in Japan where the public chooses their favorite yuru-chara i.e. costumed mascot characters representing local governments and companies. These characters are seen as a means to create awareness of and promote the local governments and corporations for tourism and business purposes. Online voting usually begins from July and…

Did you know that every prefecture in Japan have their own mascot? They are called “Yuru-chara” in Japanese and are usually created to promote a place or region, event, organization, or business. They are characterized by their cute and unsophisticated designs, and often incorporating motifs that represent local culture, history or produce. They may be…