The other day, my brother mentioned this mascot that’s apparently now popular in his workplace… He called him “Sento-kun”. And my brother was the one who introduced him to his co-workers.
So who/what is Sento-kun?
Well Sento-kun is a mascot for the Japanese city of Nara. It was created to for Nara’s 1300th anniversary and is definitely a marketing strategy. Like all mascots, it was created to help promote sales which is in this case is tourism and souvenirs. Nara followed Hokkaido’s city of Kutchan’s lead, and created a mascot of their own. Where Hokkaido’s mascot is rather cute and fitting of japanese preference for cute images, Sento-kun is …. different.
Kutchan’s Jagata-Kun, the skii-ing potato
There has been much controversy over Sento-kun over its image. I personally find him quite ugly. Japanese religious groups are angered over its similarities to Buddha as well. The city of Nara paid 5 million yen when commissioning this mascot! That’s about $60000 CAD! And what do they get for their money? A questionable mascot that was rather unpopular.
Nara’s Sento-kun.. The Buddha looking person with deer antlers.
Strangely enough, it is due of the fact that he’s rather hideous that Sento-kun is now well known across Japan. A rather strange outcome if i do say so myself. Tourists buy Sento-kun souvenirs because he looks odd as well! So in a way, Sento-kun WAS a success. People just do not portray him the way he was intended to be portrayed. Any publicity is good publicity.