I was originally planning on doing individual plushie posts later, but I couldn’t wait to share this one!
It’s Nara Rilakkuma!
The top cracker he’s holding up says 鹿せん (shika-sen), which is the cracker used to feed deer; the bottom cracker 奈良 (Nara), the region he represents!
This plushie was produced by HNA with a Rilakkuma license!
Basically, each prefecture in Japan has its own special Rilakkuma based on the what’s special for that particular city.
In Nara, there are a TON of deer, so Nara Rilakkuma is appropriately wearing deer antlers and holding up a rice cracker called shika-senbei – you can buy them to feed the deer.
I think it’s really fitting because it seems like deer paradise in Nara. According to legend, one of the gods (Takenomikazuchi-no-mikoto) appeared on a mountain riding a deer, and since then, deer have been considered messengers of the gods in Shinto! Back then, killing a deer was a crime punishable by death!
One photo really does not do them justice – there are really deer everywhere!
Sometimes people get way too friendly with the deer though…
In any case, I was super excited to run across this Rilakkuma plushie! Wish I could’ve found more – the HNA website lists 59 different Rilakkuma designs in just the Kansai region alone! They seem pretty difficult to find though; we only ran into this one at a small souvenir shop by chance as we were leaving Tōdai-ji.
Speaking of deer… I hear that the newest Rilakkuma series leak is a deer Rilakkuma??
Thanks for the tip, Kumadokidoki and Mary!
Wow, how fitting! Seeing this design after a deer-filled day in Nara is pretty silly hahaha
RilakkumaLifestyle 
Omg! What a pleasant coincidence!! XD
By the way, I went to that Nara deer place and fed the deers when I was 4! Except I was a scaredy cat so i hid behind my mum while she fed them on my behalf! Hahaha!!!
And omg, that sign is hilarious!
The deer can be pretty scary!! They get really aggressive once they find out someone has food – I just admired them from afar haha
Hehe the deer are very cute too, I agree that the new design is so fitting to your trip to Nara ^_^ I would be so scared after reading that sign lol. Delicious looking food with the kawaii Nara Rilakkuma plush!
Yeah, I was really shocked to see the new deer Rilakkuma leak when I got back to my hotel – it’s like San-X knew exactly where I was!
Wow I had no idea about those, I need to find the kanto one. Oh cool feeding the deers looks like so much fun~ I wish you could stay in Japan longer
>.< you should, be a jet or something ;) can't wait to see more of what you got!
I heard about them from my sister’s Japanese friend – my sister had trouble finding the Miyazaki one (holding mangoes, I believe) so we really lucked out finding the Nara one!!
Also heading to KFC tomorrow – I called ahead and they said a new campaign is starting! So no compact mirror for me, but maybe one of those fans? hahaha
omg!!! I’m moving to Nara as an ALT in a little over a month, and I must find that Nara Rilakkuma!! Nara is basically the only prefecture that doesn’t have a single Rilakkuma store(totally ridiculous) so I’ll havta go over to adjacent prefectures to get my plushes haha. Do you remember where you got the plush? I’m assuming perhaps that long row of shops before you get to Toudaiji? I’m so jealous haha
Yes! I got it right inside the Tōdai-ji – I saw 2 shops selling it but there are probably a few more in the area – I saw them bunched with the Pokemon/Hello Kitty souvenirs.
Also, I was really surprised that Nara didn’t have a Rilakkuma store – almost every city I visited during this trip had at least one!
Best wishes for your move to Nara :D
Thanks for the post, I’ve seen that plushie a few times as I work I’m Nara but wasn’t sure if he was official or anything…
I love the new series already!! Definitely want one of those! Though Kiiroitori looks like an owl!
X
Yeah, I wasn’t sure if it was official at first either, but then I saw the shiny holo San-X sticker at the back with the website and everything. It’s really hard to tell because the HNA site doesn’t list the actual products… so I guess it still could be fake but regardless, I think its pretty cute hahaha
That’s what counts! Thanks for the link to the official prefectural mascot website I found it really interesting!x
Faith! I really enjoyed reading this post of yours!! Thank you so much for sharing!! Your Nara Rilakkuma is sooooo adorable!! I love him to bits too..😘 Really enjoyed reading about the deers in Bara and the sign board cartoons were quite funny too.. Hope to read more posts about your trip to the land of the Rising Sun and Rilakkuma!!! Hahaha!! Take care!!!!😘
Thank you so much for reading!! I can’t believe I’m leaving Japan tomorrow morning – it’s been so fun and Rilakkuma-filled! I will be sure to write more when I get the chance… there’s still so much I have to write/post about regarding my trip; I wish I had more time!
Soooo cute!! Wow, I would LOVE to collect all the different Rilakkumas! :D
Me too! I couldn’t believe how many there were! It’s so interesting to see the specialities for each region!
ohmygoshomygosh ohmyrilakkuma!
that is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. do you know if this is limited edition at all or anything about it? reason why I ask is I’m going to Japan next summer :/ (so far away) and absolutely LOVE this rilakkuma. We go to Nara everytime we go (we live in the states) and it’s one of my favorite stops and I would absolutely love to have one, but have no idea when I could get my hands on one except next summer!
Yay! I’m so glad you like him, too!
From what I understand, these HNA Rilakkuma regional designs a came out in 2010 (when they received their license from San-X)- and they’re still being sold now, three years later, so maybe that means they’ll still be around when you visit Nara again next year? It’s really hard to tell with these collabs because they kinda run on their own timeline haha, though San-X Rilakkuma Stores are quite guilty of this too – some series sell out really quickly and are never sold again, while others are sold in small quantities many years after their initial release. Who knows haha, the HNA website isn’t particularly helpful, unfortunately T^T collabs are so tough to research properly!
thanks for all the info! I have more hope now thanks to you :D