Mayumaro

Mayumaro (まゆまろ) is a yuru-chara mascot in Japan. He is the public relations officer in Kyoto and his work is to promote Kyoto. His motif is a silk worm cocoon.

Description

Mayumaro is a mascot character of the 26th National Cultural Festival in Kyoto. His work is to encourage everyone to like Kyoto.[1] Mayumaro lacks a mouth, so he cannot speak.

He has a sister, Mayuko. Her motif is a girl who wants to be ”maiko-san" and loves Kyoto. Unlike her brother, Mayumaro, she has a mouth.[2]

Mayumaro is associated with a song written by Kumiko Takeshita, a singer and songwriter born in Kyoto. She tuned this song lightly for children to remember it easily.[3]

History

Mayumaro was made in 2011 for the National Cultural Festival as a mascot. His motif is a cocoon because silk worm cocoons are used to make silk which is then used to make beautiful cloth, for example tangotime, nishijin ori', or kyouyuu zenn. The design was chosen from over 2,000 designs from Japan and other countries. The name was also chosen by the public.[4]

Activities

On November 1, 2010, Mayumaro entered the year’s kanji ceremony with Tawawachan.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Kyoto Prefecture. (n.d.). Kyoto fu kouhoukan Mayumaro. (Kyoto prefecture public relations officer Mayumaro.) http://www.mayumaro.jp/ [July 21, 2014].
  2. ↑ (Hajimemashite imouto no mayuko desu ,2014)「J.Hatano. Hajimemashite imouto no mayukodesu (Nice to meet you. I’m Mayumaro’s sister, Mayuko.). gotouchikyara nyusu.http://yurui.jp/archives/51761039.html [July 21, 2014].
  3. ↑ Kyoto Prefecture. (n.d) Mayumaro cheering song. http://www.pref.kyoto.jp/mayumaro_song.html
  4. ↑ The 26th National Cultural Festival in Kyoto 2011. http://kokubunsai-kyoto2011.jp/character/
  5. ↑ 「Kotoshi no kanji」boshuseremoni kyoto tawa ni 「Tawawachan」「Mayumaro」mo toujou(Tawawachan and mayumaro entered the this year kanji ceremony.). (2010,November 1). Karasuma Keizai Newspaper http://karasuma.keizai.biz/headline/1213/ . [July 22, 2014].