Impossible to Forget! What is Melon Kuma?

If you've ever traveled around Hokkaido, you've probably seen this character before. This is Melon Kuma!
While Melon Kuma certainly stands apart from other local mascots, its most defining feature is its "realism." It looks terrifyingly real.

Image courtesy of Melon Kuma

Many people might think it's the official mascot of Yubari City, but it's actually an unofficial character, created and managed by Wakasa Kanko Bussan Co., Ltd.
Why was such an intense character like Melon Kuma born with this appearance? We spoke with its creator, Mr. Wakasa, about Melon Kuma's past and future.

Melon Kuma was born in 2009, inspired by news that "a bear had ravaged Yubari's melon fields."

"The news said a bear had damaged the melon fields, but that sparked a mystery. 'What if it wasn't a bear that ate them, but a new species of bear that evolved from eating too many delicious melons, and it's living secretly in a melon patch deep in the mountains of Yubari?!' We turned that idea into a character and created merchandise for it."
The thought of a Melon Kuma with a mouth big enough to swallow a whole melon living deep in the Yubari mountains is terrifying, especially if you were to encounter it while hiking... but it also makes you feel like you could almost become friends with it.

The Secret to Melon Kuma's Big Break

The first Melon Kuma product was the "Melon Kuma Magnet," which went on sale in 2009. It splits open in the middle and can hold business cards or other cards.
The Domingo editorial team received one of these magnets during our visit and now keeps it on our desks. Its sculpting is so realistic and scary that it helps us stay focused at work.

This magnet became a hot topic and was quickly featured in newspapers and on TV.

"It's definitely not cute, so most people wouldn't say, 'I want this!' But a small fraction, maybe 10%, would just burst out laughing.
It wasn't about being 'cute' or 'not cute,' but more of a 'What is this?!' kind of curiosity that captured people's hearts and ultimately led to its success.
At first, I wasn't trying to make something that would sell. It was more about the excitement of, 'What would happen if I made this? How would people react?' Ever since then, I've always aimed to create products that make people passing by the store do a triple-take and say, 'Huh?!'"

Today, there are over 250 different types of Melon Kuma merchandise, including different sizes.
What's even more surprising is that Mr. Wakasa creates all of them himself.

The store is filled with products that make you want to stop and pick them up.

Where Melon Kuma Appears?! The Melon Kuma House

Near Shin-Yubari Station and just a one-minute walk from the Michi-no-Eki Meload, you'll find the "Melon Kuma House."
The place is packed to the brim with Melon Kuma merchandise, creating quite an impressive sight.

You can find a wide variety of Melon Kuma goods, such as a hat that turns your pet into Melon Kuma, a popular ear pick for cleaning your ears with Melon Kuma, and a magnet version holding a salmon.

At the Melon Kuma House, Melon Kuma itself sometimes comes down from the mountains and makes an appearance.
Since Melon Kuma is so realistic and scary, it often frightens children when it shows up.

"Kids are honest, so when they encounter the real Melon Kuma, they scream, run away, and cry. I think they feel a sense of approaching madness-like reality. Something staged or obviously fake isn't interesting, so I pursue realism in my creations. It makes me happy when pure-hearted children get scared. Many parents even tell me they say, 'If you misbehave, Melon Kuma will come for you!' to get their kids to behave."

Having evolved into its imposing form by eating too many delicious Yubari melons, Melon Kuma might stomp towards you and take a bite of your head, so be careful if you encounter it!

I Want to Make More Kids Cry!

For the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for Melon Kuma to come down to human settlements. We asked about its plans for the future once the situation calms down.

"My future goal is to have the many children I haven't made cry yet encounter Melon Kuma at a young age, so they can learn that 'scary things like this exist in the world!' I will give it my all to achieve that!"

Next summer, during melon season, Melon Kuma might start appearing more frequently. When it does, its appearances will likely be posted on Instagram, so be sure to check it out.
Melon Kuma is also featured in Yubari City's Furusato Nozei (Hometown Tax Donation Program), so please check that out as well.