Joe Louis with sarubobo in Takayama
The bus ride from Takayama Village to the Shirakawego UNESCO heritage site was picturesque and calm. There was only about ten to fifteen of us on the trip and the bus had plenty of space for us to stretch out and relax. Most people rested or chatted as the guide occasionally provided historical tidbits and points of reference. One passenger was quiet throughout, sitting still but in a pose of excitement. He never said a word, but shared his enthusiasm with all and never refused a photo request. He was Sarubobo.
Mascots come in all shapes and sizes and serve as representatives for a cause or a thing or a place. The somersaulting and leaping creatures associated with sports teams work hard to rile up a supportive cheer from the crowd. Cartoon animals help sell boxes of cereal to sugar-craving kids. Oddly shaped objects with large eyes are always included in Olympic paraphernalia – I’m not exactly sure why. Often cute, sometimes menacing, and at times cheesy, engaging mascots draw us closer to their worlds.
Takayama is a charming, old village. It has kind, friend people, and gorgeous landscapes. Sake breweries invite people to visit for free samples. There are plenty of images to fill a travel brochure. That’s why it was surprising to see a town teeming with natural allure to promote itself with a mascot.
Sarubobo isn’t your typical mascot. He is rather very modest. His featureless face does not reach out to children like an anime character does. He does not have an elaborate backstory or origin myth. There is no nemesis or driving mission he is fighting for. He seems to exist solely to provide his friends and wearers with good luck, good health, and love.
The shops in Takayama, whether they sell pastries or sweaters, carry a wall of Sarubobo paraphernalia. Sarubobo comes in a wide variety of sizes, from tiny pins and keychains to life-size dolls like the one on our bus. Although red dolls were the most prevalent, Sarubobo comes in as many colors as there are in a Crayola box. There are even opportunities to create your own, personalized “baby monkey”doll, which is the actual definition of Sarubobo.
I bought a keychain for a friend. He will likely never visit Takayama nor does he particularly want to. But even if he isn’t a big commercial draw, Sarubobo is still very cute. And good luck is always welcome.
See what other blogs are saying about sarubobo:
“On our trip to Japan we went to Takayama and there were lots of funny baby mascots around. There were even stone sculpture of the mascot and Hello Kitty versions too! I found out that the mascot is a Sarubobo and that they are mascots for good luck.”
–Somewhere About There
“they have several colours to pick from, and choice for the clothing fabric that you can decorate yourself. I wrote the word “strong” on mine. The dolls are meant to bring you things like good health, friendship, love, and success, and to me being strong is the overarching component to feeling you have these things.”
–Aki-San Japan
