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Miyagi’s Hero Yappe

Vardaman's Random Notes ~バーダマンの英語随筆~

Almost everything in Japan seems to have its own mascot. From Kumamoto Prefecture’s Kumamon to the Kōsei Penguins of the rehabilitation system of the Ministry of Justice, there are mascots for cities and prefectures, products, businesses, facilities, brands, and other groups.

Television stations are no exception. Some mascots appear on the screen as animation and there are even stuffed animal costumes during the weather report and other parts of the programs.

The NHK Sendai Broadcast Station has its own character: Yappe (やっぺぇ, pronounced “Yap-pei”). Mondo Mascots, a social media account and blog that celebrates these mascots, describes Yappe as “a chick whose face is on a TV screen inside a green speech bubble.” The TV announcers and newscasters refer to Yappe as a “fairy.”

According to the official website, Yappe was born in Miyagi Prefecture as a character to “cheer up Miyagi” after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. The name originates from the word “Yappe” (やっぺ, pronounced “Yap-pé”), which means “Let’s (I’ll) do this!” “Let’s go!” The website also describes Yappe as a “curious challenger,” which is evident as Yappe takes on various challenges, from transforming into famous singers (with costumes) to unveiling dance skills with a breakdancing performance.

Yappe usually appears with human colleague Shinohara-san during the weather segment of the evening news program “Tele-Masa.” Yappe doesn’t speak, but actively expresses thoughts through body language, and Shinohara-san plays the role of the interpreter for the audience. Yappe is knowledgeable about local specialties and events, and shares that information through whiteboard messages and video segments. (We know from the writing that Yappe has a Sendai dialect.)

Yappe is very much a part of Miyagi residents’ lives. When not reporting on the weather with Shinohara-san, Yappe travels to various parts of the prefecture to cheer people up with an exercise dance, which is another one of Yappe’s talents. A Miyagi-native “visual-kei” band created an original song to which people of Miyagi—from nursery school children to older adults’ social club members—“Dance with Yappe”. The dance is broadcast during the program, and the smiling faces of people exercising with Yappe also bring smiles to the viewers.

Also, an ongoing initiative connects art club students of Miyagi high schools with Yappe. Students make art objects featuring Yappe with seasonal themes, and these are displayed in the broadcasting studio while the news program is aired. A lot of thought, creativity, and teamwork go into making the artwork, and the program is a great opportunity to showcase the students’ work.

Although Yappe’s popularity is currently limited to Miyagi Prefecture, Yappe made national news with a “near-miss kiss” incident with figure skating legend Yuzuru Hanyu, whose hometown is Sendai, when he appeared on the show. Hanyu fans were surprised but entertained and reacted favorably to this incident, and Yappe gained attention from around the country.

Hopefully, Yappe’s fame won’t end there. Yappe never ceases to entertain and surprise us with hidden skills and talents, and we believe that Yappe will help more people learn about Miyagi. We hope that more people around the country and the world will learn about Yappe’s charm and efforts, as well as learn about Miyagi and visit one day.

(539 words) Written by Maya

Yappe Room (The Official Website for Yappe run by NHK Sendai)
https://www.nhk.or.jp/sendai/yappe/
Tele-Masa
https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/M917RJ4V72/
NHK Sendai
https://www.nhk.or.jp/sendai/
Article in “Jyosei-Jishin” reporting on the “incident”
https://jisin.jp/entertainment/entertainment-news/2197927/

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