What Exactly is the "Sumikko Machi Collaboration"?

This is a 10th-anniversary project for "Sumikko Gurashi," designed with the hope that "corners connecting with corners will create a large circle of smiles." It recognizes areas as "Sumikko Machi" if they are in the "corner of a prefecture," the "corner of a specific region," or have "sumi" in their place name or regional name.

Five locations were selected from across the country. Besides Wakkanai City, the collaboration includes Kurashiki City in southern Okayama Prefecture, Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture at the westernmost tip of Honshu, Sumida Ward in Tokyo (with "sumi" in its name), and the Osumi Peninsula in southeastern Kagoshima Prefecture (also with "sumi" in its name).

The Collaboration Started with a Citizen's Voice

"One day, we received a suggestion from a citizen asking us to apply for the 'Sumikko Machi Collaboration.' I knew about Sumikko Gurashi, but I wasn't aware of this project, so I was surprised," says Ms. Rina Fukuhara from the Tourism and Exchange Division of Wakkanai City Hall.

We spoke with Ms. Rina Fukuhara from the Tourism and Exchange Division of Wakkanai City Hall.

They applied with the thought that "collaborating with characters loved by everyone from small children to adults could be a great way to promote the charms of Wakkanai, the city at the top of Japan, not only to our citizens but to Sumikko fans nationwide."

There were many applicants for this project, and the competition was fierce, so they were anxious until the results were announced. But they were successfully chosen. The reason? "Because it is undeniably the northern corner of Hokkaido."

The news of the collaboration quickly became a hot topic among citizens, and joyful voices were heard not only from long-time Sumikko Gurashi fans but also from those who were not familiar with the characters.

Countless citizens are coming to pick up the collaboration tourist guide maps, and many are taking photos of the posters and maps to post on social media. On social media, a trend dubbed "Sumi-katsu," similar to fan activities known as "oshi-katsu," is gaining momentum, with fans from all over the country visiting Japan's northernmost city.

Various Events Bring Excitement to Wakkanai!

For this collaboration, promotional posters were displayed at four "corner stations" in the north, south, east, and west of Japan (*this event has now ended). JR Wakkanai Station was chosen as the northern corner station, and a tweet introducing it received about 5,000 reactions.

On November 28, 2022, a "Sumikko Machi Certification Ceremony" was held at the Wakkanai Fukukō Market. The character "Neko," appointed as the Sumikko Machi PR Ambassador, presented the "Sumikko Machi Certificate" to Chairman Shinya Nakata of the Wakkanai Tourism Revitalization Promotion Council.

Additionally, children from Wakkanai Hikari Kindergarten and Kirakira Nursery School presented "Neko" with a "chigiri-e" (torn paper art) of Neko and Neko's favorite food, "fish." You can watch a video of this event on the official Instagram of the Wakkanai City Tourism and Exchange Division (@japan.go.wakkanai).

The posters are displayed throughout the city and have become popular photo spots. More collaboration events are still in the planning stages. A new announcement is expected soon, so keep an eye out for new information.