LIFE

Making mascots

Life, Sasiwimon Boonruang, Published on 10/05/2017

» When someone mentions the Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, the image that pops up in our heads is that of a black furry bear, with circular red cheeks and wide eyes. The mascot is called Kumamon, and it represents the success of character design, associating a recognisable image with a place -- a symbol that works culturally as well as economically. Kumamon was estimated to generate over 123 billion yen (37.7 billion baht) in income in 2014, according to the Bank of Japan, and functions as an effective tourism promoter.