Recently the island held a contest to come up with an island character to use for promotional purposes. We had over 50 entries and many very professional ones. Thanks to everyone who entered the contest! We had so many good entries, as a matter of fact, that rather than choosing just one, the island decided to create an amalgamation of all the ideas, which resulted in this seagull!
A few points to note: The straw hat represents that used in the Shiraishi Bon Dance, a designated national treasure in Japan. The overcoat has two blue spots in the shape of Shiraishi Island. At the bottom is shows waves of the Seto Inland Sea.
Hanging from the belt are fish and mulberries, two products the island is known for. The star is a "starfish" from the sea and the cat with the fish in it's mouth represents the many beautiful stray cats that grace our island--especially near the port!
The hem of the kimono has a drawing of the Bussharito Buddhist stupa on the island, which is said to hold some of Buddha's ashes. Lastly, the seagull's sandals (Of course even birds wear sandals in Japan!) have crab pincers in the front.
We hope you enjoy our new character! We are now soliciting entries for a name, so if you have any ideas, please let us know by leaving a comment.
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