It's hard to overstate how pervasive character culture is in Japan. We're all familiar with anime and manga characters like Doraemon and Astro Boy (sorry - Mighty Atom <- otaku power level up!). Then there are company mascots for everything from candy companies to pharmacies.
Today, as I was walking back from the dentist, I passed a fire station whose mascot's presence was so strong I had to stop and snap some pics.
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| I believe it's station 7119, or maybe 119. Check out how the mascot, who's also wearing a funky helmet, has the number plastered on his chest. |
More after the jump:
The fire trucks have also got the mascot, which I believe is named Kyuta (based on the writing beneath some of the images) on the door.
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| Kyuta wants you to love Tokyo! |
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| Even the ambulance has Kyuta (in different gear!) on the door. |
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| In front of the station |
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| Kyuta is there to greet you at the entrance. |
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| They've even got a Kyuta doll next to the reception window. Did I say the mascot was ubiquitous?? |
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| Public service announcement fully endorsed by Kyuta. |
As I was musing on the fire station mascot, it struck me that in some other countries, you'd be more likely to see a flag or emblem of some sort providing a badge of identity for a public institution like a fire station. But in a nation comfortable with buying medicine from a shop represented by an orange elephant, seeing a character like Kyuta representing a fire station not only doesn't feel out of place - it feels downright normal! And that's a sign of how powerful character culture is in Japan.
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