by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

We all know about mascots, whether they are at Disneyland, sporting matches, or on TV. Japan takes the concept of mascots to a higher level than anywhere else in the world. Today we delve into the world of mascots in Japan, where you will soon find that they have one for everything. From police to water companies, to almost every prefecture, you will find a cute character that represents them.

One of the fascinating phenomenons to hit Japan has to be their almost obsession of having cute - and sometimes terrifying - mascots for everything. From police departments, government agencies, airports, and the one with most - prefectures. At recent count, there are more than 1500 different mascots for prefectures and government departments in Japan.