Get to know Japan’s strange yet adorable mascots

Nishiko-kun takes the two-legged form of a roof tile from a temple in Nishi-Kokubunji. Unlike most mascots, who tend to just stand around and look cute, Nishiko-kun has some serious dancing skills – it jetés and jigs throughout Nishi-Kokubunji with a sense of childlike curiosity. Nishiko-kun is quite hip: it has been a muse for pop art, appeared in advertisements and even has its own official merchandise. Find Nishiko-kun in the suburbs of western Tokyo, where it enjoys interrupting cherry blossom parties with its sick dance moves.

Namisuke, the mascot of Suginami ward in western Tokyo, is a dinosaur-centipede with a human baby face. He's pretty adorable – he wobbles around on his stubby little arms and legs and his extra-large pupils give off a kawaii vibe. However, his cute exterior hides potentially violent personality: Namisuke appears at his local festival, Koenji Fes, in autumn and is known for showing off his wrestling skills.

This eyebrowless apron-wearing baby creature is the mascot and prince of Shimotsuke, a city in Tochigi prefecture. Prince Shimotsukare’s namesake is the local cuisine shimotsukare, a traditional dish made from salmon, vegetables, soybeans and abura-age (deep-fried tofu). The baby prince has all the criteria to be adorable despite his lumpy appearance. When he’s not representing local cuisine, Prince Shimotsukare has a side gig as a YouTube yoga instructor. 

Hailing from the hot spring town of Yamanaka Onsen in Ishikawa prefecture, Owansan is a hybrid bowl-dog with ladybug-coloured ears. As a part of the tourist information office, Owansan helps visitors explore the town and its motif is found on maps, cookies and even souvenirs. Owansan is pretty adorable but its combination of animal and kitchenware, alongside the contrasting ears, makes it too much of a Frankenstein mascot.

Shiroi, a small city in Chiba prefecture, is a quiet town known for its lush nature and freshly farmed vegetables. One of those veggies is G-nenjer, a potato ninja that looks like it sprouted fresh from the depths of vegetable hell. Disturbingly similar to a zombie crossed with a potato, G-nenjer is a long root vegetable with a screaming mouth and cartoon-like eyes that change depending on its mood. After seeing this horror clip of G-nenjer, you’ll never eat potatoes the same way again.