Colonel Sanders will cosplay as a samurai at KFC Japan stores over Golden Week

Children’s Day on May 5 is the final public holiday of Japan’s Golden Week. Usually, it’s celebrated by setting up colourful koinobori (carp streamers) outdoors, but KFC Japan celebrates the national holiday a little differently – by dressing the Colonel Sanders statues outside stores in handmade armour. This annual tradition has been going on since 1984 and the employees at each store come up with their own design, making them from scratch using paper craft.

Around 100 KFC outlets in Japan will be kitting out a Samurai Sanders this year. Judging from what we saw in previous years, the designs will be impressive. You can find them at four locations in Tokyo from April 29 to May 5: Kumegawa, Kabe, Nishi-Hachioji and Hachioji-Owadamachi.

Samurai Sanders will only be around for a week but don’t worry if you can't catch him in person. You’ll be able to check out the statues after the campaign, as KFC Japan is planning to post images of all 100 statues on its official website around May 11.

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