Over 100 mascots gather in western Japan to pitch local charms

More than 100 mascots promoting the charms of their local regions gathered on Saturday for a festival in the western Japan prefecture of Shiga.Costumed characters, whose appearance and attire usually reflect local cuisine or history, delighted fans at the festival in the city of Hikone, where the samurai helmet-wearing Hikonyan mascot was created in 2006.Hikonyan has been instrumental in fueling a boom in mascots collectively called "yuru-kyara," which translates as loose or soft characters, for their laid-back feel and unrefined image.Organizers said the festival began in 2008 with the aim…READ FULL ARTICLE