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According to a survey conducted by the in Japan in July 2024, ** percent of the respondents liked Kumamon, the mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture. Kumamon was the most popular local mascot in Japan, ahead of Funasshi of Funabashi City.

Role of local mascots for tourism and local regions

Local mascot characters, commonly referred to as "yurukyara" in Japanese, are often used by local authorities in Japan to stimulate tourism and the economy. Kumamon, which is also one of the most recognized local mascots in Japan, was introduced in 2010 to promote Kumamoto Prefecture ahead of the full opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen in 2011. The character became nationally known after winning the Yurukyara Grand Prix in 2011.

Advertisement industry in Japan

The Japanese advertising market has one of the highest advertising spending worldwide. The predominant advertising media are the internet and television. Internet overtook television as the leading advertising medium in terms of ad expenditure in 2019. Mascot characters, which are employed not only by local authorities for tourism promotion but also by companies, play a significant role in the Japanese market, where consumers frequently encounter advertisements featuring fictional characters from the domestic anime, manga, and video game industries. The most popular company mascots are Peko-chan and Poko-chan, the two mascots of the confectionery company Fujiya Co. Ltd.