
The other day, you learned about Nakano's nameless and mysterious new mascot. But did you realize that Kichijoji has its own official mascot character, too? Meet Kittan! In the annals of the "yuru-kyara" ("weak characters"), he's one of the most decidedly yuru. A near featureless orange ball with Disney-inspired eyes, he's supposed to evoke... what, exactly? The sunny skies over the city? Your liver after a night spent getting sloshed in scenic Harmonica Yokocho? Actually, he's vaguely reminiscent of the kanji for "kichi," 吉, which means "good fortune" and is used to write "Kichijoji" (吉祥寺).
He's decidedly difficult to spot in his natural habitat (the info kiosk on Sun Road is a good place to start), but lo and behold, there he is kicking it on the curb with a "furry" in Second Life! (In Japan, apparently, super kawaii characters drink sake instead of forties.) In fact, a Kittan devotee has created an entire virtual Kichijoji in Second Life, complete with replica Inokashira Park, Iseya yakitori stand, maids, and the occasional dinosaur. Hats off to anyone who spends their free time masquerading as an alcoholic mascot character!