Takata-no-Yumechan, the official mascot of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture, was announced the winner of Japan's 10th and final yurukyara mascot competition Sunday.
The white mascot, which made its first appearance in January 2012 as a fairy delivering dreams and happiness from a bag slung over its shoulder, received 280,017 votes at the contest held over the weekend in Takizawa, Iwate Prefecture.
The annual event had grown in scale since first being held in 2011. "Winning had become the goal, and (the contest) had lost its original purpose of revitalizing regions," the organizing committee said, citing one of the reasons for discontinuing the competition.