Japan’s AMABIE boom, which was reported in many countries at the end of February, is still going strong. In an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, even Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has used AMABIE as a character in an educational image. Starting with Twitter users who agreed with the infection prevention activity, the activity is spreading further with hashtags such as “#アマビエチャレンジ amabie challenge”, “#アマビエ祭り amabie festival”, and “#amabie“.
Amabie has become a traditional Japanese sweets “wagashi”.
Recently, the topic has been focused on restaurants and wagashi shops that have started selling AMABIE products in response to a decline in customer traffic. The following SNS posts are from Gifu, Yamagata and Kagawa. If you are staying in Japan, check out the shops in your neighborhood!
#アマビエチャレンジ なるものがあるらしく、ご要望もございましたので、佐藤屋八代目の「アマビエ」でございますお納めください。 #佐藤屋 #疫病退散 #アマビエ pic.twitter.com/igjJGdiqNL
— 乃し梅本舗 佐藤屋 (@noshiumesatoya) April 14, 2020
～疫病が流行る時、
— うどん脳【公式】妖怪 (@udonnoww) March 26, 2020
私を作って食べなさい～
●材料：冷凍うどん、ちくわ、ネギ #うどん脳 #アマビエ#amabie#コロナ終息祈願#クッキング #親子 pic.twitter.com/JVtO6BzmtJ
Amabie’s Craft Coloring Book to be distributed by Japanese temple.
無病息災祈願してぬりえをしました
— わこもこ가즈코 (@206829) April 17, 2020
諫早神社のHPからダウンロードできます#わたしのアマビエhttps://t.co/jFInK7SPnC pic.twitter.com/b0Q52ZmYvl
Isahaya temple in Nagasaki says, “Because it’s a Jinja, there are things we can do”. They made Amabie’s original craft coloring with a prayer for good health and good luck. It will be distributed as a PDF download so that it can be delivered to people far away. Why not make it with your kids while they’re on call at home?
An interesting article has been published about the Amabie boom.
日本の妖怪が世界へ。アマビエブームにみる「伝承」の価値
JTB総合研究所 Editor：河野 まゆ子
Japanese monster to the world. The Value of “Tradition” in the Amabie Boom.
According to the article, the amabie and amabicob boom in Japan had occurred twice in the past: during the 1858 cholera epidemic and in 1882, when entertainment books and Ukiyoe stores in Tokyo sold them as amulets against the plague.
What is worth noting is that while the fads of the past were aimed at “benefiting” the amabie, the fads of today are aimed at “contributing”. It is said that the rise in consumer awareness of “I don’t know what I can do. But I want to contribute to something.” has led to this boom.
And then, it is said that Japanese or regional traditions that have been handed down by word of mouth, and not by commercial creation, have become more convincing and have given life to the modern age.
It’s a research article in Japanese, but it’s very interesting, so be sure to translate it and read the whole thing!
Visit PageThe language of the link is only JapaneseThe creators’ nice work has led to a steady stream of goods.
The book is now available with works by famous 87 artists such as Shigeru Mizuki and Rieko Nishihara. It will be on sale in May, so if you live in Japan, make sure you pre-order it!
I’ve chosen a few items that are available for international shipping! I hope may Amabie reach across the sea.
