It is said that about 502 years ago, Iwasaki Shimenokami TADAHISA-Ko of Yatsushiro's Agetsuchi lord of a castle encouraged rush cultivation in the territory. The Iwasaki Shrine, which enshrines Prince Iwasaki, was built on the ruins of the castle, and seems to be gathering the worship of local residents. Most of the Yatsushiro Plain is reclaimed land and is blessed with water, so the area is known all over the world as Japan's number one rush producing area. For a while, the production volume decreased significantly due to the influence of cheap Juncus decipiens produced in foreign countries, but while Japanese culture is being reviewed again, we are working on breeding and developing new rush products to create a new living space. It seems that food development based on utilization and health consciousness is being actively carried out. Products using rush are used not only for cushions, coasters, bags, Japanese traditional paper, but also for interiors and foods, and it seems that the range of utilization is expanding greatly as a special product of the Yatsushiro area. However, in 1997, the rush crash occurred. It seems that some people had difficulty in rebuilding their business due to the disappearance of Japanese straw floor covering from Japanese greenhouses and the drastic decrease in demand, and the large amount of Juncus from China. Don't forget those who have experienced the hellish suffering of the workers. Around 2000, at the Totsurazawa site in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture (around 300-400 AD), indentations of textile woven with wild grass like rush were found from the bottom of Jomon pottery, and unglazed earthenware was discovered. There is an example.
【Product Name】
Benpeiyu（Citrus grandis）
【Type】
Citrus maxima 'Banpeiyu'
【Jurisdiction】
Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Hikawa Town, Yatsushiro District, Ogawa Town, Uki City Shiranui District (JA Yatsushiro, JA Kumamoto Fruit Ren)
【Derived from the Name】
Citrus maxima citrus fruits including Citrus decumana are called Citrus grandis. Late varieties from Taiwan's native varieties, “Peiyu”.
【Major features】
The brand “Hachibee Tomato（Separately, tomatoes that are cultivated in soil rich in salt and minerals peculiar to the reclaimed land peculiar to the Yatsushiro area and have the characteristics of high sugar content, small balls and hard skin are salted tomatoes (trade name: “Sun child” and “salt”. It is branded as “Salt Jiro”), and the sugar content of 8 degrees or more is named “Celebrity” and the sugar content of 10 degrees or more is named “Royal Celebrity”. In addition, non-standard tomatoes are used for processing dried tomatoes, tomato ketchup, tomato juice, and the like.）” produced by the JA, “Juncus decipiens”, the raw material for Japanese straw floor covering, and Citrus maxima 'Banpeiyu’, which is registered as Guinness as the world's largest citrus fruit, boast the highest production in Japan. In addition, facility gardening such as strawberries and melons, “outdoor vegetables” containing a lot of minerals in reclaimed land, “ginger” which is one of the leading production areas in Japan, and “Yoshino Pear” (Kumamoto prefecture), which has the oldest history in the prefecture. It is also famous as the “birthplace of pears.” In 1904, Mr. Kumasaburo YAMADA planted 100 pear seedlings near the former Yoshino Village Hotta (currently Yatsushiro District), and in June 2004. Is holding a grand commemorative ceremony to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Yoshino pear planting.) And other agricultural products are being shipped to various parts of the country with passion and affection by producers. The JA's agricultural products are both delicious and safe. Toyo Town (Masonry Village), which is the main production area for ginger cultivation in the Yatsushiro area, is located in the central and southern part of Kumamoto Prefecture, between the Yatsushiro Plain and the Kyushu Mountains, about 40 km from Kumamoto City. The climate is relatively warm and rainy with an average annual temperature of 15.3 degrees Celsius and an annual rainfall of 2,437 mm, with an average annual temperature of 15.15 km, north-south 15.27 km, and a total area of 64.56 km2. In the same production area, there are not many fields with large-scale infrastructure development, and the main planting is in small fields peculiar to mountainous areas, and it seems that the average area per field is 350 m2 or less. The ginger field that spreads out in the valley-shaped stepped fields has been selected as one of the 100 best terraced rice fields in some areas, but due to the slope, cultivation management is centered on small machines and manual work, and the land conditions are inefficient as a field. It seems that it is. In the area, cultivation began in some areas as a seed ginger producing area from the end of the Taisho era, but with the rice production adjustment in 1970, the cultivation using paddy fields increased sharply, and the ginger producing area became. It was formed and now seems to be a specialty of the town, which accounts for about 40% of the prefecture's shipments. Every year on the 4th Sunday of October, a ginger festival is held to announce the harvesting work of ginger, along with a fair to determine the crops. This festival has been held 37 times this year, and it has become a big event for the whole town, where more than 30,000 people from all over the country gather. It seems that the original culture strain has been introduced as the most important seed in ginger production. Currently, it is growing, and it seems that it is working hard to improve quality and yield by breeding varieties with high productivity and storability and selecting excellent lines. As a measure for irrigation in the summer, which has a large impact on yield, the order and time of use of water sources, valley springs, water tanks, etc. secured by boring, usage fees, etc. are allocated to each district, and arrangements are made to ensure smooth watering work. Seems to be. As a measure for soil preparation, soil analysis is carried out every year, and farming cooperation with other areas is carried out while performing appropriate fertilization. I hear that they are enforcing the management of tolerable soil. In terms of disease control, Pythium myriotylum Drechsler (P. zinziberis Takahashi), which causes the most serious damage to ginger diseases, overwinters mainly in the form of follicles with damaged tissues, is transmitted to the soil, and is a species caused by diseased tubers. It seems that tuber transmission is also performed. Secondary transmission is caused by zooloculants released from the bacterial cells into the water, so it seems that it may occur frequently when the field is flooded. It is infected when the soil temperature is 15 to 20 ° C or higher, 5 After the end of the month, the number of occurrences tends to increase when there is a lot of rainfall. The first occurrence in a normal year is in the middle of June, but it seems that the first occurrence will be earlier in a year when the soil temperature is high.) In the past (1969-1971), it was heard that torrential rain and humid conditions followed by Pythium myriotylum Drechsler (P. zinziberis Takahashi), which caused catastrophic damage to the survival of the production area. As a result of investigating this factor, the dumping of the diseased ginger into the river was considered to be one of the causes of the spread of the disease. It seems that the water source has been secured and the disease-free bacteria have been irrigated. Furthermore, it seems that thorough preventive management is being carried out, such as introducing soil disinfection technology, changing work shoes for each field when entering ginger fields, and replacing disinfection greenhoses. Well, as a drainage measure in the field, it seems that it is secured so that drainage can be done by thoroughly implementing drainage measures before planting and enhancing drainage in small grooves at small intervals. In recent years, as a measure against pests, moth-proof lights have been installed to reduce the chemical control of night moths, which are the main pests, and it seems that safer and more secure ginger is being produced. As of 2009, in the Asian market, where high growth has continued, demand for high-end Japanese foodstuffs and Japanese food has increased significantly due to the emergence of the wealthy and middle class. In addition to the WTO accession of China and Taiwan in Asia, the EPA: Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and Asian countries (elimination and reduction of tariffs on goods between two or more countries / regions, improvement of investment environment, etc. The fact that trade liberalization is accelerating, such as the establishment of a series of agreements that establish common rules for the protection of intellectual property rights and strengthen economic ties, is also a tailwind for expanding agricultural exports. It was. Kumamoto Prefecture, which is located in central Kyushu, is geographically close to Asia and is in a favorable environment in terms of logistics. It still remains an important issue in the development of agriculture. The JA, which is located in the Yatsushiro area of Kumamoto prefecture, aims to provide more delicious, safer and more secure agricultural products with NEC (established by NEC Corporation on July 17, 1899) and NEPON Inc. (6, 1948). Introduced “Agricultural ICT Cloud Service” jointly developed by (established on 9th of March) from 2012 to 2013. The situation of the field, which was previously unknown without visiting the site, can be monitored in real time through sensors and smartphones installed in the house. In addition to helping to maintain the optimum environment, it is also used as a management platform for strictly complying with the pesticide use regulations stipulated by law. The result is that the temperature of the field and the amount of carbon dioxide are monitored in real time through sensors in the greenhouse and smartphones and tablet terminals. In addition to helping to maintain the optimum environment, it also suppresses risks such as abnormal temperatures. If you enter the sprayed pesticide into the system, the cumulative spray amount for each ingredient will be calculated automatically. Supports stricter management by raising alerts such as reversing colors just before reaching the specified amount. By analyzing the accumulated data, know-how can be extracted as objective data. It seems that he was able to grasp the tendency to produce good results and use it for future farming guidance.（The agricultural ICT cloud service collects and stores the temperature / humidity of the field, the amount of sunshine, the amount of carbon dioxide, etc. in the cloud through sensors installed in the house, and realizes remote monitoring. If you set a threshold value for temperature etc., it is possible to ring the smartphone and issue an alarm when there is an abnormality. Respond quickly to troubles and avoid damage.）Yatsushiro Specialty Banpeiyu : Registration No. 94, Registration Date March 30, 2020, Registration Application No. 201, Registration Application Date, March 29, 2019, Registered Producer Name of organization, Yatsushiro GI Brand Promotion Council, Address of registered producer organization, Furushiro Town, Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto, Name of representative of registered producer organization, Chairman Mr. Yoshihisa Hayashida. Address of website of registered producer organization, Classification of Specified Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, etc. Class 1 Agricultural Products Fruits (citrus decumana), Names of Specified Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Yatsushiro Specialty citrus decumana, Yatsushiro Specialty Banpeiyu, Production Area of Specified Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kumamoto Prefecture Yatsushiro City, Furushiro Town, Yatsushiro District, Kumamoto Prefecture, Characteristics of specified agriculture, forestry and fishery products, etc. The average shipping size is about 20 cm in width. Some of them weigh more than 4 kg when they become large, and in 2005, they were certified as the Guinness World Records as the world's heaviest in the citrus pomelo category. In addition, a coloring standard is set at the time of shipment, and as the maturity progresses, a refreshing citrus aroma spreads from the epidermis, and it seems that the taste is excellent with moderate sweetness and refreshing acidity. Due to its size and good taste, “Yatsushiro specialty citrus decumana” has long been popular as a fruit in the Yatsushiro region, which represents winter, and is now highly regarded by the market as a specialty product and as a gift such as year-end gifts. It has been exported to Hong Kong since 2014 and seems to be used as a gift for the Chinese New Year. Production method of specified agriculture, forestry and fishery products (1) Cultivation method: Banpeiyu is used for varieties (a) Artificial pruning is performed during the flowering period to promote fruit set and enlargement (b) Promotion of fruit enlargement (C) Pruning and bagging to improve the appearance. For shipping, it is assumed that the width is 15 cm or more and the actual color is almost complete. However, if the damage caused by scratches or pests exceeds 1/2, it will be used for processed products. Shipping form as a final product: The shipping form of “Yatsushiro specialty citrus decumana” as a final product is fruits and vegetables (citrus decumana). : The Yatsushiro area has abundant soil and abundant water brought by the Kuma River and Hikawa, and is a fertile and well-drained soil. It faces the Yatsushiro Sea and has a warm climate with long sunshine hours. It seems that it is suitable for the production of pomelo because the dew is removed by the sea breeze and it is difficult for frost to fall. In the Yatsushiro area, Yatsushiro Zabon has been cultivated as a garden tree since the 17th century, and there has been cultivation technology for pomelo since ancient times. Therefore, it seems that the technology and management method necessary for large ball production and artificial pollination, fruit thinning, pruning, and bagging for quality improvement permeated the area, and it was established as a production center of Banpeiyu together with geographical factors. In 1965, along with establishing the current shipping standards, it seems that it has been working on quality improvement and regional brand products by using the name “Yatsushiro specialty citrus decumana”. The track record of producing specified agricultural, forestry and fishery products in the production area, the place of origin is Polynesia and Malaysia, and it was introduced to Japan in 1930. It was called citrus decumana because it was later than Banpeiyu cultivated in Taiwan. After introducing it to Japan, it was difficult to find a suitable place for cultivation, but it seems that it was planted in the Yatsushiro area in 1951 and confirmed to be a suitable place. The characteristics of citrus decumana were announced at the Kumamoto Prefecture Citrus Festival in the 1955s, and it seems that planting has increased. In 1965, the Banpeiyu Subcommittee of the Yatsushiro Fruit Agricultural Cooperative Association was established, and the current shipping standards were set. In addition, it seems that cultivation spread rapidly with the donation to His Majesty the Emperor. It was decided as a recommended variety in the prefecture in 1975, and it seems that it has become established as a specialty citrus in the Yatsushiro area as the area increases. It is often used for local events, and it is also useful as a gift such as year-end gifts, and it seems that it has been evaluated by market participants and consumers. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 2015, about 90% of the national production is produced in the Yatsushiro area, and it is said that the shipment volume in 2018 is 800 tons. Applicability of Article 13, Paragraph 1, Item 4 (b) of the Act Not applicable. In 1920, it is reported that the high-quality fruit variety “Banpeiyu” was imported from the Malay Peninsula, where it originated, to Taiwan by Mr. Yaichi Shimada, a botanist from Kumamoto Prefecture who was working for the Government-General of Taiwan at that time. Fifteen years later, in 1935, by courtesy of Mr. Shimada, as a result of making a prototype at the Kumamoto Prefectural Fruit Experiment Station, it seems that it was found to be suitable for the climate of Kumamoto, especially the Yatsushiro region. Currently, as one of the recommended citrus varieties in Kumamoto Prefecture, the fruit has a high commercial value and is donated to the development of regional agriculture so that it is encouraged only in the Yatsushiro region. “Yatsushiro City”, Kumamoto Prefecture : It is located about 40 km south of Kumamoto City, the prefecture's capital. It has an area of about 50 km from east to west, about 30 km from north to south, and an area of about 680 km2. The west faces Yatsushiro Sea, and the north is Yatsushiro District, Uki, Kamimashiki, and Shimomashiki. It borders Higashiusuki District in the east and Kuma District and Ashikita District in the south. It is divided into mountainous areas and plains by the “Hinagu fault scarp”.（It is estimated that the latest activity period for the Kouya-Shirahata section is after about 1,600 years ago and before about 1,200 years ago. The average activity interval is unknown, and it is possible that the amount of deviation during activity was about 2 m, mainly due to right lateral deviation. In the Hinagu section, the average activity interval may be about 36 million years to 11,000 years. New The activity period is estimated to be after about 8400 years ago and before about 2,000 years ago. Dislocation It seems that there was a relative uplift of about 3 m on the southeast side and a lateral shift to the right beyond that. It is possible that the Yatsushiro Sea section was active at intervals of about 11,100 to 6,400 years on average. New The activity period is estimated to be after about 1,700 years ago and before about 900 years ago. There is a possibility of the Higo earthquake in 744 AD. It is estimated that there was a deviation of about 3 m during the activity, but the direction of the deviation is unknown.etc.）About 70% of the total area is mountainous and about 30% is plain. In the mountainous area, Kunimi-peak (1,739 m) in Izumi town is the highest peak and forms the backbone area of the Kyushu Mountains. Examples of the hiding villages of the Heike no Ochiudo include Gokanosho in Kumamoto Prefecture and Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture. The city is dazzling with its history and natural scenery. The plains are rich in land formed by the Kumagawa River, one of Japan's three rapids, and the Hikawa River system. An alluvial plain centered on alluvial fans and deltas. In addition, it has a vast plain that has been reclaimed for many years. Utilizing these abundant resources, many agricultural products such as rush（Juncus effusus L. var. decipens Buchen.）and tomato are produced. In addition to the blessed natural conditions, the construction of seaside industrial land and the enhancement of port facilities were planned, and factories of large companies entered the market from early on. It is in the middle of developing as one of the prefecture's leading industrial cities. Developed Yatsushiro Port, the largest international trading port in the prefecture as an Asia logistics base. It is a key point for land and sea transportation. It is famous as an area with abundant nature, resources, and a high base of transportation. Kumamoto Prefecture faces the sea on the west side, and the rest of the mountains are lined up, so the climate varies from region to region. Around the Kumamoto Plain, summer is hot and winter is cold inland. At dusk in Summer, a phenomenon called “Higo evening calm” occurs, in which the area becomes calm. The Amakusa region has an oceanic climate, and the coastal area is famous as the northernmost point of coral reefs. There is a basin in the Kuma region in the south, and it seems that summers are hot and winters are cold. The Aso region surrounded by Asogairin mountain has a mountainous climate, and it is relatively cool in summer. In winter, the temperature drops to below freezing, and it seems that snow can be seen. Precipitation is high in Kuma and Aso, especially near Mt. Aso, reaching more than that in a year. This abundant rain brings water sources to various parts of the prefecture and provides vitality to moisturize the fields and people. In Prefecture, heavy rains occur during the rainy season, and heavy and torrential rains are likely to occur due to the hot and humid southwestern air currents coming from the East China Sea. About two-thirds of the Yatsushiro coastal area seems to be reclaimed new land. In this area, small rivers such as the Kuma River, Hi River, and Sunagawa, which are one of the three major rapids in Japan, pour into the Shiranui Sea. It seems that it is. It was when Kiyomasa Kato, who is famous as a warlord and a civilian, came to Higo as a nation, and even if the feudal lord replaced Mr. Hosokawa, he married Yatsushiro chamberlain Matsui. There is also a military significance as an avant-garde base for Mr. Shimazu of the Satsuma domain, and since he was given the right to reclaim the area near the mouth of the Kuma River, it seems that there are many new areas from the vicinity of the former Yatsushiro town to Hinagu town. In particular, the clan seems to have planned to develop a large new land in the three counties of Yatsushiro, Shimomashiki, and Uto as a remedy for the clan's financial tightness during the period of culture and civil affairs. At that time, Mr. Ryohei Kanokogi, who was appointed as Nozu Tenagaso village headman (Ryuhoku Town, “Kagami Town”, etc.), is still famous for opening 400 towns and 700 towns. It is a village shrine in the modern shrine. The deity is Kiyomasa KATO-Ko. If you worship, you can get a red stamp. Benefits include family safety, business success, civil engineering and construction, and both Bunbu and Budo. Kagami Town, Yatsushiro City is a land opened by reclamation, with about 80% of the total area reclaimed from the sea. It is said that the reclamation work near Kagami Town began around 1688-1704 under the Kumamoto feudal lord Hosokawa in the Edo period. It seems that Mr. Taira prayed to the Holy Spirit of Kiyomasa-Ko as a pioneer of civil engineering work and newly reclaimed rice field development when he approached the construction. And with his son Mr. Kennosuke and others, it is reported locally that he succeeded in three major reclamation works of 100 towns, 400 towns, and 700 towns from 1805 to 1822. In 1822, after the construction was completed, he solicited a spirit from the Jyoike Mausoleum of Honmyoji Temple, which enshrines Kiyomasa-Ko, and built a temple as a guardian deity of a new area in order to reward the blessing of Kiyomasa. Known by the name of “Seishoko”, it was originally a shrine temple for both Shinto and Buddhism, but in 1870, it was changed to a Shinto festival by Ordinance Distinguishing Shinto and Buddhism, and it seems that it was lined up at the village shrine. The Jyoike Mausoleum was also changed to a Shinto shrine in the Meiji era, and seems to be the current Kato Shrine in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City. He was mourned for his virtues and is now enshrined at Bunsei Shrine in Kagami Town, Yatsushiro. It is said that the tombs of the father and son of Kanokogi Ryohei and Kennosuke remain as historic sites in Kagami Town. The annual festival is September 24th, which is the annual autumn festival. Higo big shinto music : Large grand kagura performance at Ise, Shinko-shiki procession, Shinme, shrine maiden dance, etc. are dedicated, and in recent years, it seems that local children have held portable shrines and judo competitions. In addition, it seems that various structures using rush, a special product dedicated from each district, will appear. In addition, there are festivals on February 24th and July 24th, and it seems to be crowded with stalls. Also, on January 15th every year, it seems that a porridge ritual is held to tell the story of the crops of the year. I heard that there are Kaizu Shrine (Ichikishimahimejin) and Wago Shrine (Watatsumi Ogami) in the precincts. Currently, road approaching a shrine is a roadway commonly known as “Baba street”, but it seems that the large entrance gate, which was built across the road in the Taisho era, retains its remnants. Most of them have been knocked down by several typhoons in recent years, but it seems that large ginko also shows beautiful autumn leaves in autumn, making the local people feel the season. “Hikawa Town, Yatsushiro District” is located in the northern part of the Yatsushiro area, almost in the center of Kumamoto prefecture, about 30 km south of Kumamoto city. It borders Uki City in the north and Yatsushiro City in the south. A second-class river Hikawa flows from east to west in the center of the town, and with National Highway No. 3 running from north to south as the boundary, forests and hills in the east, and Shiranui reclamation that is famous throughout the country as “Hachirogata in the west” in the west. It is a town with a total area of 33.36 km2 with a flat area including the beginning. “Banpeiyu” : It is famous as a kind of Pomelo which is said to be the largest fruit in the world.It weighs about 2 kg, and the larger ones weigh more than 3 kg. It is about 20 cm in diameter and is about the size of a child's head. Kumamoto Prefecture is famous as the only production area in Japan, and Yatsushiro is a famous production area. I heard that Banpeiyu was introduced in areas with a warm climate around 1951. Cultivation became popular in the 1970s, and currently it produces more than 80% of the prefecture as a whole. It seems that it begins to bloom from mid-April to early May every year. Other citrus fruits, such as Citrus grandis, amanatsu (Citrus natsudaidai) , and Hassaku oranges, must be pollinated to produce fruit and are mainly artificially pollinated. The flowers bloom for a day, and the farmers chase after the bulging buds and perform the mating work at once. It is necessary to pluck the buds before flowering in order to make a good flower. When the pollination work is finished and the small fruits start to grow, hang small bags one by one on the ones grown in the open field. It plays a role in protecting fruits from an early stage so that they are not affected by diseases and pests. From early to mid-July, large bags are placed on both open-field and greenhouse-grown fruits that have grown vigorously. Furthermore, a special water-repellent sheet is put on it. The property of liquid is easy to evaporate at room temperature. Ingenuity is made to prevent the surface of the fruit from getting sunburned.In order to prevent the large Banpeiyu from falling naturally or due to a typhoon, preparations are made for branching (Hanging branches with strings). In mid-November, about a month later, we will start removing the bags that were covered for the harvest. It seems that the whole fruit is harvested by choosing from those that are colored yellow by about 70 to 80%. The open field is from January to early February. The house is open from late November to mid-January. Instead of shipping immediately, it seems that they will be taken to another greenhouse where they will be stored for about 10 days（In order to mature the bluish bottom to yellow, the balls are turned upside down and exposed to sunlight evenly. Finish with soft flesh with increased sugar content: Lined up in a plastic greenhouse. In today's world, humans rarely see each other, but they are kindly close to each other.）. Sorted by appearance and size at three fruit sorting plants in the Yatsushiro area. After carefully packing the boxes, they are shipped to Kyushu, Kanto and Kansai. From November to January, it is mainly used for gifts, and from February to April, it is distributed nationwide with the original taste of the variety. Marmalade, jam, and jelly with an elegant taste are sold at the local product hall and are popular. Candied zabon pickles have long been popular with a wide range of people. It lasts for a long time, so it's okay for 1-2 months at room temperature. Not only can you lightly dry the peeled skin and enjoy it as a bath salt, but you can also expect a beautiful skin effect. It seems that the first fruit selection of “Benpeiyu”, a specialty of the Yatsushiro region, which is one of the world's largest citrus fruits, was held on November 29, 2021 at the JA Yatsushiro Fruit Selection Center (Buiwara Shimo Town, Yatsushiro City). It is popular as a gift for the year-end and New Year holidays, and is shipped all over the country. This fruit is a kind of pomelo, and the popular 2L size seems to have a diameter of 19 to 21 cm and a size of about 2 kg. About 80 houses are cultivated, and about 3500 bundles per day will be shipped mainly to Kanto and Kansai. The first sale in 2021 was held on December 2nd. It seems that mature fruits were brought in one after another by truck on this day, and the grades were sorted according to size and appearance. I heard that it will ship about 200,000 bundles by March 2021 and aim for sales of around 125 million yen.
As one of the recommended citrus varieties in Kumamoto prefecture, the more it is encouraged only in the Yatsushiro region, the higher the commercial value of the fruit, and it greatly contributes to the development of regional agriculture. It has a high-quality scent and a long shelf life, and it is customary to decorate the alcove or entranceway for a while, enjoy the appearance and scent, and then eat it. It is also used in pastries such as jelly with pulp and candied fruit.
Kumamon was first unveiled in the campaign “Kumamoto Surprise” that was launched when the Kyushu Shinkansen was fully opened, but it seems that the designer who was asked for the logo of the campaign actually proposed it as a bonus. That is the mascot that represents Japan now. For utilization, “PR business registration” and “license application” to Kumamoto prefecture are required. Design: Manabu Mizuno (produced by Kundo KOYAMA (born in Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture)), Height: Approx. 200 cm, Weight: Approx. 100 kg, Gender: Boy, Designated date: March 5, 2010, Designated by: Kumamoto Prefectural Office.
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