Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 1st day part 1

[Introduction]

I traveled to Matsuyama, the capital of Ehime Prefecture, for 4 days and 3 nights. The main purpose of this trip was to watch Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 on the last 2 days. My favorite Milan, which is the mascot character of Ehime Prefecture, did not participate in the contest, but entertained other local mascot characters and the audience as a host of the event with Barysan, Imabari city’s mascot character. I also participated in a PR event for the Grand Prix and did some sightseeing. In this article, I will write about Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 1st day part 1 as part of Day 3.

[Visit Places (series of articles)]
* Day 1 (1) Yuru-chara Grand Prix PR event 1 (Okaido and Gintengai) 
* Day 1 (2) Yuru-chara Grand Prix PR event 2 (Ropeway street and Dogo Onsen) 
* Day 1 (3) Dogo Onsen (Light up)
* Day 2 (1) Mican Center at Ehime prefectural government office
* Day 2 (2) Ninomaru Historical Garden and Matsuyama Castle
* Day 2 (3) Matsuyama Castle (Light up)
* Day 3 (1) Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 1st day part 1 [This article]
* Day 3 (2) Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 1st day part 2
* Day 3 (3) Okaido (Bansuiso Villa and Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum etc.)
* Day 4 (1) Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 2nd day part 1
* Day 4 (2) Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 2nd day part 2
* Day 4 (3) Matsuyama City Station (Tram, Matsuchika Town etc.)

[Travel Date]
2016.11.03-06

[Main Part]

It was the 3rd day of my trip to Ehime Matsuyama. Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016, which was the main objective of this trip, will start from the day. Before Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016, I took a walk in the morning.

Walking in the morning (around JR Matsuyama station)

It took about 10 minutes on foot between the hotel I stayed (Hotel JAL City Matsuyama) and JR Matsuyama station, and I walked to JR Matsuyama station while taking photos of trams.

To begin with, around the hotel.

The photo below was taken at near the railroad crossing at Otemachi station.

You can see that a railway and a tram crossed each other, so the spot was famous for railfans.

Then, around JR Matsuyama station.

Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016

Now I will start to write aboutYuru-chara Grand Prix 2016.

Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 has started since 2011 and this was the 6th event. The event was held at Shiroyama Park for 2 days (Nov 5-6).

Opening Ceremony

First, I wactch the opening ceremony.

Mican, Dark Mican, Kumamon and Barysan.

There were lots of audieince already.

Tape cutting.

Gate open

The opening ceremony ended and the event started.

After I passed the entrance, I found a variety of local mascot characters greet visitors.

You can see how busy the event site was.

There was a zone for sponsoring companies and some companies displayes products related Mican.

At Mican and Dark Mcan booth, I found a Mican.

Since Mican’s birthday will come on next week (November 11), visiotrs sent messges for Mican.

Yuru-chara PR time

Local characters made presenrtation to ask for voting at Shimanami stage.

Mican and Dakk Mican special stage

After Yuru-chara PT time, there was a special stage performed by Mican and Dark Mican.

To begin with, Mican was introduced.

Then, Dark Mican was introduced.

At first, Mican and Dark Mican were friendly to eah other, but

Dark Mican started to hit Mican with his piko piko hammer.

It’s something like a cliche plot.

Dark Mican also hit an event hostess.

After all, Mican and Dark Mican cooperated to appeal the event and Ehime prefecture and the special stage ended.

Other Snap photos

Then, I moved to the groumet event zone. There were 49 stalls to provide food menu.

Since I expected long queue around noon, I decided to have an early lunch now. I bought “Mitsuhama yaki”.

After lunch, I took several snap photos.

Yuru-chzra haiku

“Yuru-chara haiku” event was held at Shiroyama stage.

Matsuyama is famous as the world capital of haiku culture. “Yuru-chara haiku” event was held to decide who made the best haiku among local characters.

Mican and Dark Mican supported the event.

The judge was a famous haiku poet writer.

This local characthers won the event.

I continued to watch “Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016”, but I will write about it in the next article as part2.

[Closing]

That’s it for the article about Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 1st day part1 as part of Day 3. During the opening ceremony, the governor of Ehime prefecture mentioned that he directly negotiated with officials of Yuru-chara Grand Prix to attract Yuru-chara Grand Prix event in Ehime. I wondered how the site was determined for long time, but now my question was cleared.

Talking of the governor of Ehime prefecture, when I visited Matsuyama last November to watch Mican’s parade, he also made a speech and disclosed a secret story as to how Dark Mican was born. If you are interested in it, please see the following link.

Going to Mican’s parade: part 1

In the next article, I will write about Yuru-chara Grand Prix 2016 1st day part 2 as part of Day 3.

[Map]

[Related Link]
The official Website of Tourism Matsuyama