One hundred "life-size" figures of the popular manga character Doraemon will adorn areas in and around Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, as part of an event running from March 9 through 31, Odakyu Electric Railway Co. said.
Each Doraemon figure will have a different facial expression and "secret tools" that the character is known for, according to Odakyu, which operates trains linking central Tokyo with the scenic Hakone area.
During the event, passengers will be greeted by Doraemon figures both at Odakyu Line Shinjuku Station in Tokyo and at their destinations, such as the parking lot of the event's main site near Hakone Ropeway Togendai Station, it said.
Similar events featuring 100 Doraemon figures were held in Hong Kong and Taiwan on Sept. 3, exactly 100 years prior to the fictitious birthday of the futuristic cat robot, stated as Sept. 3, 2112.
Odakyu says the event is part of its effort to support the reconstruction of the northeast hit by the March 2011 quake and tsunami disaster.
