Meeting Hikonyan

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Hikone Castle in Shiga prefecture (an area to the northeast of Kyoto, around Lake Biwa) there was a contest to create a mascot. The result was Hikonyan. Hikonyan, whose name is a combination of Hikone and "nyan," the sound of meowing in Japanese, is an adorably cute white cat wearing a samurai helmet.

As far as I understand it, the mascot mythology is as follows: 400 years ago, Ii Naomasa, the daimyo of the region, was resting under a tree. Hikonyan beckoned him to come over. When the daimyo did so, he narrowly evaded a huge bolt of lightning that struck the tree under which he was resting. The daimyo was so thankful that Hikonyan saved his life that he made Hikonyan into a samurai. Later, the daimyo's eldest son, Ii Naokatsu, constructed Hikone Castle in thanks. Hmm. I wonder if Hikonyan wouldn't have rather received some tuna?

I had been meaning to check out Hikone Castle for a while now. So, on my birthday, Hunter and I went to see the castle and its cat. We arrived just as one of Hikonyan's three daily scheduled appearances was beginning and the ticket salesman urged us to hurry over. I knew that Hikonyan was popular, but I had no idea... Hikonyan basically walked around, made several cute poses and pretended to have a hanami picnic. Meanwhile, the majority of visitors were extremely enthusiastic, repeatedly shouting "Kawaii!" and "Hikonyan! Hikonyan!" They also shrieked "Bye bye!" when the public appearance was over. But, what I haven't pointed out yet, is that besides two or three little kids, I was probably the next youngest one there. Love of kawaii knows no age limits. :)