One thing you'll quickly notice about Japan is that there are mascots for just. about. everything. Known as "yuru-chara," these adorable characters represent regions, organizations, and events, embodying both local pride and national creativity.
The Local Character Festival in Susaki is a fun celebration of this, and is set to include almost 80 yuru-chara appearances from local mascots. Some well-known mascots that will be present at the event include Funassyi, the "pear fairy" that represents Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture, and Gunma-chan, the horse-like character that promotes Gunma Prefecture.
Along with simply being a fun event, part of the festival's goal is to help revitalize Susaki City. Previous festivals have drawn crowds of around 100,000 people, so it certainly seems to be helping!
