Do you know "Kappon", who is the PR captain for Jozankei Onsen? If you have ever visited Jozankei, you may have seen him at least once. This time, we met up with Kappon himself to find out more about his true identity!

The meeting place with Kappon was on Tsukimi Bridge. When I headed towards him, I saw a figure that looked like him... "Excuse me, are you Kappon?" I called out timidly, and he turned around and bowed politely. There was a plate on his head.

Kappon, who cheerfully showed us his name tag and said, "It's Kappon!", has been appointed Jozankei Onsen PR captain since 2012. At the same time, he was issued a special resident card by the mayor of Minami Ward, Sapporo.

In the name column of his special resident card, it says "Jozan Kappa Kokichibee." It turns out that Kappon was just his nickname, and he actually had a real name!

What caught my attention was the bucket tied around Kappon's waist. One day, Kappon was playing with a bucket that had washed up on the Toyohira River, when he got stuck in it with a loud "Kappon" sound. "This is very convenient for taking hot spring baths!" he told me, telling me that he keeps a bucket and a towel with him at all times and spends every day in hot springs.

Official Kappon goods are sold at the Jozankei Products Center near Tsukimi Bridge, as well as at hotel shops and souvenir stores. The Jozankei Tourist Association also has many official goods on display, totaling more than 40 varieties!

The most popular official item is the "Gauze Hand Towel" (660 yen including tax), which is said to be made of high-quality materials and feels comfortable against the skin. If you're interested, be sure to check it out!

Kappon loves to relax in hot springs and gaze out at the mountains of Jozankei. He has a very gentle personality and gets along well with children. In November 2021, he was appointed as Minami Ward's support mascot to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Minami Ward's establishment. Be sure to keep an eye on Kappon, who is expected to become even more active in the future!

<Interview cooperation> Jozankei Tourism Association Location: 3-chome, Jozankei Onsen Higashi, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido Contact: 011-598-2012 Official website: https://jozankei.jp/ Jozankei Products Hall Co., Ltd. Location: 4-chome, Jozankei Onsen Nishi, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido Contact: 011-598-2178 Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays Official site: http://www.j-bussankan.co.jp/