Hikone’s Hikonyan Mascot to Mark 20 Years of Debut in April

Hikone, Shiga Pref., March 27 (Jiji Press)–“Hikonyan,” the beloved official white cat mascot of the city of Hikone in Shiga Prefecture, western Japan, will mark the 20th anniversary of its debut in April. Hikonyan derives from a legend that a white cat saved Ii Naotaka (1590-1659), the second lord of the Hikone domain, from being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm by beckoning him at a temple. The mascot wears a red “kabuto” helmet for samurai warriors inspired by the head armor worn by the “Ii no Akazonae” corps. While Hikonyan has become widely known across Japan as it helped spark the country’s “yuru-kyara” local mascot boom, it was originally created for a one-time event and was therefore not intended to be used after the end of the event. The name Hikonyan was selected in 2006 from 1,167 proposals submitted by the public. According to the Hikone city government, Hikonyan was created as a promotional character for a festival held in 2007 to mark the 400th anniversary of Hikone Castle, a national treasure. Even before the festival, Hikonyan appeared in local events across the country, gaining media attention that led to its massive popularity. During the 2007 festival, the number of visitors to Hikone Castle reached 760,000, far exceeding the city’s target of 550,000. As many people wanted Hikonyan to continue its activities after the festival, the Hikone government met the requests, and the character is now firmly established as the city’s icon. Hikonyan continues to make appearances at Hikone Castle and other locations. Hikonyan has brought huge economic benefits to the city. According to a private-sector survey, sales of Hikonyan goods amounted to 840 million yen in 2024, accounting for 4.5 pct of tourism-related consumption in the city. The fan club for the mascot, which is run by the city, now has about 3,200 members. Hikonyan is also boosting its presence abroad. It appeared in a large-scale trade fair in Bangkok in January this year, promoting the attractions of Hikone. The city is working on trademark registration for the mascot in China and considering selling Hikonyan goods at department stores in the country. “We want to expand (Hikonyan’s) overseas activities,” a city government official said. Ahead of the 20th anniversary, the city has created a commemorative logo. A ceremony is scheduled to be held at Hikone Castle on April 13, the day the mascot was officially named Hikonyan in 2006. Meanwhile, Hikone Castle was put on Japan’s tentative list of candidate sites for UNESCO World Heritage registration in 1992, but has still been unable to obtain the government’s recommendation. “We hope to realize the castle’s World Heritage inscription with the help of Hikonyan, which has attracted a wide range of people,” said Yasuhiro Yamamoto, assistant chief of the city government’s entertainment department. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]