Kumamon Is Everywhere!

In Japan, there is a fascination with mascots. Anything and everything has a mascot, be it Osaka's Floating Garden:

Kumamoto Castle:

or Tokyo Tower:

Even the different prefectures in Japan have mascots, such as this one from neighboring Nagasaki:

Recently, there was a nation wide vote on which prefecture had the best mascot. Kumamoto's Kumamon took first place and has since exploded in popularity, appearing on all manner of merchandise. Personally, I don't like Kumamon that much. He's kind of creepy. Always looking at you with that wide eyed, soul sucking stare.

The first Kumamon things we found were fairly typical. There were some potted plants along the shopping arcade:

Okay, this one is cute.

Kumamon adorned the information sign at the trolly stop:

And the Kumamon lights were still up to decorate the arcade at night:

There was even a new bar with Kumamon as its mascot:

All fairly normal things, I suppose. After all, we were still in the capital city and it was only natural that they'd play up Kumamon's popularity. But as we travelled deeper into the inaka, it became clear that Kumamon had infested every corner of the prefecture. Kumamon was on our food:

Take that Kumamon, you creepy thing.

And our water:

He welcomed us to the stores we frequented:

Oh, hai!

And our hotel:

He was even in the schools:

And put in an appearance at graduation:

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!

Want to know more about Kumamon? Well good news, here's his bio which I found outside another store in Amakusa:

When asked about Kumamon, one of Amanda's teachers remarked that he felt Kumamon was like a virus. I couldn't agree more. Still think Kumamon isn't completely ubiquitous? I'll leave you with this Kumamon crane machine...from Osaka:

You terrify me Kumamon.