Kumamon

Mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

An illustration of Kumamon

Map of Japan with Kumamoto Prefecture highlighted

Kumamon (くまモン) is a mascot created by the government of Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 2010 for a campaign created to draw tourists to the region after the Kyushu Shinkansen line opened.[1] Kumamon subsequently became nationally popular, and in late 2011, was voted top in a nationwide survey of mascots, collectively known as yuru-chara, garnering over 280,000 votes.[2][3] Following his success in the contest, Kumamoto earned ¥11.8 billion (US$120 million, £79 million, €93 million) in merchandising revenue for the first half of 2012, after having only earned ¥2.5 billion (US$26 million, £17 million, €20 million) throughout all of 2011.[4][5] Kumamon enjoys tremendous popularity throughout the world.[6]

## Economic impact

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In just two years, Kumamon has generated US$1.2 billion in economic benefits for his region, including tourism and product sales, as well as US$90 million worth of publicity, according to a recent Bank of Japan study.[7] Sales of Kumamon items have reached ¥29.3 billion in 2012, up from ¥2.5 billion in 2011.[8]

Kumamon merchandise

The Bank of Japan also estimated that Kumamon generated ¥123.2 billion in revenue during a two-year period starting from 2011.[6]

## Success

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A large part of Kumamon's success can be attributed to its cuteness.[8] The unusual marketing strategy of free licensing has also contributed to Kumamon's commercial success;[8] Kumamoto Prefecture grants usage rights for free to any individual group as long as the products promote goods and services from the prefecture.[6][8] In 2018, this license was extended to foreign businesses, with aims to both boost worldwide recognition and increase tourism to the prefecture. Governor Ikuo Kabashima has said that he "want[s] to spread the Kumamon brand to the world."[9]

## Cultural impact

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Exterior of a Kumamon-themed Kumamoto Electric Railway train (2024) Rikishi (sumo wrestler) wearing a Kumamon mawashi

This mascot appears in a minor cameo in the 2014 video game Yo-Kai Watch 2, and made an appearance in Yo-kai Watch: The Movie, following the main characters (Whisper, Nate, and Jibanyan) around. Kumamon has gained popularity as an internet meme when images of the character, usually around a large bonfire, were captioned with text reading "Why? For the glory of Satan, of course!".[10]

Since 3 September 2018, Kumamon began regularly in-character videos uploading to its YouTube account.[11][12]

## See also

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* Choruru
* Funassyi
* Hikonyan
* Kigurumi
* Yuru-chara

## References

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1. ^ "Top Ten Japanese Character Mascots". Finding Fukuoka. 2012-01-13. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
2. ^ "Japan's #1 Mascots: Kumamon, Bary-san, and Nishiko-kun". Japan Probe. 2011-11-28. Archived from the original on 2013-06-21. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
3. ^ "Kumamoto Mascot "Kuma-mon" Won First Prize | Tenkai-japan:Cool Japan Guide-Travel, Shopping, Fashion, J-pop". Tenkai-japan. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
4. ^ Brasor, Philip (2013-01-13). "Mascots bear cash for local authorities". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
5. ^ Wakabayashi, Daisuke (2012-12-25). "Isn't That Cute? In Japan, Cuddly Characters Compete - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
6. ^ a b c Brasor, Philip (2014-04-15). "Can a solo career help a mascot stand out?". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
7. ^ "Cuddly bear Kumamon becomes a marketing superstar in Japan". South China Morning Post. February 24, 2014. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
8. ^ a b c d Fuji, Moeko (Jun 28, 2013). "The Branding of Kumamon: The Bear That Stole Japan's Heart". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
9. ^ "Kumamoto Prefecture decides to allow foreign firms to use its Kumamon bear brand". The Japan Times. 4 January 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
10. ^ Ashcraft, Brian (1 March 2016). "Osaka Overrun For The Glory Of Satan, Of Course!". Kotaku Australia. Surrey Hills, Australia: Pedestrian Group. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
11. ^ "1-й эпизод Kumamon TV" (in Japanese). YouTube. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
12. ^ "Iconic Japanese mascot Kumamon to become YouTuber". The Japan Times. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2021.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kumamon.

* Official website (in Japanese)

* v
* t
* e

Yuru-chara

Japanese mascot characters

Localities|

* Chiitan
* Choruru
* Funassyi
* Gunma-chan
* Hikonyan
* Kumamon
* Mayumaro
* Nyango Star
* Sento-kun
* Shimanekko

Sports|

* Miraitowa and Someity
* Snowlets
* To Lucky and Lucky

Related topics

Kigurumi
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