Mascot for Sumida Matsuri (city festival) and Kodomo Matsuri (children's festival) Suu-min (2005)

Client: Sumida City Cultural Promotion Division

This is a design for a mascot named "Suu-min" for annual, large-scale events in Sumida City: the Sumida Matsuri (city festival) and the Kodomo Matsuri (children's festival).

The basic forms of Suu-min all represent traditional "Edo" aspects of Sumida City. Each year, different Suu-min goods are made as well.

Suu-min was designed based on a childhood image of Katsushika Hokusai, an internationally-known ukiyo-e artist in the Edo period, as portrayed by Takahashi. Hokusai was born in Honjo Warigesui (present Kamezawa in Sumida City) and spent most of his life in Sumida City. Takahashi wanted the mascot to carry out a mission as an ambassador for unique cultures and perceptions of the Edo period, Sumida, Tokyo, and Japan itself, by sharing the excitement and pleasure of life in traditional Edo. She wanted this to be fulfilled through a story set in Ryogoku (a district with a colorful history), in which the Edo period, the present, and the future are connected. (The story was created by Takahashi.)

The name of the mascot was decided following a contest among Sumida citizens, with the mayor and Takahashi and others as the judges. "Suu-min," which was submitted by an elementary school pupil, was selected.