Pre-holiday rush and year-end sexism burnout got you down? Let’s bring in some warm fuzzy feelings with an adorable mascot. We’ve got to take a cute break before continuing on our fun-ruining rampage through pop culture, right? All sarcasm aside, let me introduce you to my favorite Ishikawa mascot, Wakutama-kun, the soft-boiled onsen egg (温泉卵) of Wakura Onsen (和倉温泉).
Image from Wakura Onsen‘s website.
Statue/fountain at the public onsen (総湯）
He’s an egg who carries around three other eggs and likes to hang out in the onsen. (Not sure why the website lists his gender as male, but I don’t know what I expected, really.)
On the schedule for the bus to Wakura Onsen. YOU’RE LOSING YOUR BUDDIES.
Wakutama-kun will show you how to bathe at an onsen!
How to bathe properly at an onsen
The Noto Line (能登鉄道) from Anamizu (穴水) to Nanao (七尾) and sometimes even as far as Komatsu (小松) has a few trains decorated with mascots and characters. One is decorated with characters from Hana Saku Iroha (花咲くいろは); one is the alien mascot from Hakui, famous for UFOs; and another is Wakutama-kun. That was my favorite, and I always was excited when I got that particular train.
Noto Tetsudo Wakutama-kun
So cute! I’m sad Wakutama-kun hasn’t won the Mascot Grand Prix yet, but maybe someday his cuteness will be appreciated. What’s your favorite local mascot?
Aww he’s adorable!
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