Yuruchara (Yurukyara) Mascot Summit – Kanto’s largest character and mascot summit. Formerly, the world’s largest mascot event with a Guinness World Record certificate to prove it! In 2022, it was held at-venue for the first time in three years, but they also had an online segment. Moreover, that was the first year at a new venue – the Hanyu Aeon Mall. But this year it’s at a different venue again: in the vicinity of Hanyu City Hall and Hanyu Heiwa Park.
Yuruchara (Yurukyara) Mascot Festival
Yuru-chara is a a portmanteau of yurui, for gentle in this case, and chara, for the English spelling of character. Yuruchara seems to be the most common, but many people use the contraction of the words with the Japanese katakana of character, hence you see Yurukyara too. To be honest I use the latter as it is pronounced Yurukyara even when its spelt Yuruchara. But the official English information for this event uses Yuruchara hence I use that most frequently!
When and where is the big annual mascot event near Tokyo?
An ONLY IN JAPAN event! In a usual year up to 400 Mascots from cities and towns and even products parade down the runway at this popular annual event in Hanyu. The beloved annual Yuruchara, or mascot summit, event is held annually in Autumn. In 2025, it is on Saturday November 15th and Sunday November 16th. Until the pandemic it was held at Hanyu’s riverside park where the Saitama Aquarium is. Between 2022 and 2024 it was on at the Aeon Mall in Hanyu and the neighboring Shimo Kawasaki Park.But this year there is a new venue: the grounds of Hanyu City Hall and Hanyu Heiwa park.
The mascots
The mascots that will participate this year have not yet been announced (July 6th 2025). Over the years they have even had mascots participating from different countries around the world including Germany, Taiwan and America. In 2017 over 40 mascots from overseas attended this Guinness World Record Holding event. The biggest number of mascots from overseas they had to date. This year overseas mascots are back for the first time in four years, but there are just six including one from Belgium, Hawaii and Hong Kong. You can see the full round up of the mascots, once they have been decided, on the official website.
Before the pandemic there were lots of events during the festival including attractions for children such as bouncy castles. It is not yet known if they will have them in 2025. But they will have a live stage, a staple of the event. They will also have dozens of food stalls. The festival attracted around 270,000 visitors until 2018. In 2019, the weather was horrendous on the two days and I remember thinking they would cancel it. But they didn’t. And 115,000 people turned up despite the inclement conditions! They come for the mascots and also the food or ‘gourmet’ as they call it.
Featured image from the official Facebook group in 2015:
| 2025 Mascot Summit Information | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday November 15th and Sunday November 16th |
| Time: | from 10 am and 3 pm |
| Location: | Hanyu City Hall, Japan, 〒348-0052 Saitama, Hanyu City, Higashi, 6 Chome−１５ View on Google Maps. |
| Cost: | there is no admission fee |
| Links: | Official website Official Youtube |
>>Find more events in Saitama<<
First published on insaitama.com in 2015, updated annually. Last republish September 20th 2022. Last update September 8th 2025.
I dont know if there has ever been an idea that was more ‘Japanese’!
Haha, right!?
Any info about it for this year? Will it be virtual or real life?
Not yet, unfortunately. It’ll probably be close to the time before they release the plan for this year, as was the case the last two years. In a ‘normal’ year its earlier… we shall see!