Meet the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Mascots!
In case you didn’t know, the 2020 Summer Olympics are being held in Tokyo. The country is gearing up as millions of tourists and Japanese from across all over Japan get set to storm Tokyo for the Summer Olympics.
If you are in Tokyo currently you may have seen the mascots on billboards and merchandise alike. If you are planning to come to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, be prepared to have shirts and plushies featuring the mascots shoved in your face. The 2 mascots are named Miraitowa (representing the Olympics) and Someity (representing the Paralympics). They were chosen from a poll taken by more than 75% of Japanese elementary schools and a number of overseas schools.
“Mirai” is the Japanese word for future, and “towa” is the word for eternity; combined Miraitowa promotes a future full of eternal hope in the hearts of people all over the world. Someity is a pun for “so mighty” and also comes from a Cherry Blossom tree called someiyoshin which is shown in the pink color. Someity represents Paralympic athletes who overcome obstacles and redefine the boundaries of what is possible.
You can find more information on the full profiles of Someity and Miraitowa as well as their development process on the Tokyo 2020 website here.
Gear Up!
Image Source
Many stationary stores and local shops are already selling officially licensed 2020 merchandise. However if you want to go big, head over to any Bic Camera department store and you’ll find an assortment of T-shirts, giants plushies, and useless goods ready to be purchased. Of course you can also buy everything from the official 2020 Olympics online store here, however keep in mind they only ship to Japan.
If you want to go big, the online shop is selling pure gold Japanese koban coins for a whopping 12,296,000 Japanese yen (or about $12,000 USD)! If that sounds too expensive don't worry as you can buy the smaller silver version for 21,600 yen (or about $200 USD). Of course you can always just buy a t-shirt.
Which of the mascots do you like more? Are you excited for the 2020 Olympics? Let us know in the comments.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more news straight from Japan!
Related Articles
A Guide To Japanese Valentine’s Day Chocolate
Japan is one of the countries that has the most unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. In the land of cherry blossoms, February 14th is the day exclusively for women to confess their feelings by giving chocolate to men.
Japanese Convenience Store Food: An Easy and Delicious World
If you’ve ever visited or lived in Japan, you know that convenience stores (konbini) play an essential role in the daily life of Japanese people. We all know their names – 7-Eleven, Lawson, Family Mart, Ministop, and more.
Japanese Christmas Food: Japan’s Take on Christmas Meals
Unlike the West, in Japan, Christmas is not a religious event. Rather, just like Halloween and Valentines Day, Christmas season is simply party time. So then, what kind of Japanese Christmas food do people have to get their winter holiday parties started? Let’s find out!
5 Fun Japanese Candy Trick-or-Treat Ideas
It’s coming up to spooky season and that can mean only one thing – lots of Japanese snacks filled with the spirit of Halloween. Enjoying tasty Japanese chocolate, sweets and treatst are what this season is all about. Monthly Japanese snack and candy box TokyoTreat is no stranger to sharing spook-tacular snacks with the TokyoTreat…
Japanese Cup Ramen through the Ages
Ramen is a much-loved dish in Japan, and you’ll find ramen shops serving tasty bowls in a variety of forms and flavors across the country. But if you can’t get to Japan anytime soon, there is thankfully an endless list of cup ramen brands producing instant ramen in a range of delicious flavor combinations. The…
