Working through my Japan haul slowly but surely…
This Rilakkuma is a Rilakkuma Store employee!
Irasshaimase!
His lovely apron with the Rilakkuma Store logo!
He’s even got a leather tag hanging from his zipper! Also, you can see that his apron is lined with a nice brown and white polka dot fabric from this angle, too!
He was a Rilakkuma Store exclusive first released way back in September of 2009! He holds a special place in my heart because he reminds me of all my adventures in Japan, running around finding Rilakkuma Stores :D
Continuing the second half post theme of “Rilakkuma products my dad bought”, check out this Rilakkuma riding a banana!
Bananas are my dad’s favorite food!
I wish I had plushie version of this!
In a previous post, I mentioned that my Nara Rilakkuma is part of an HNA series the produces special Rilakkumas for each prefecture in Japan – this Rilakkuma is part of the same collection, except this one is from the Kantō region line, representing Tokyo!
I guess Tokyo is known for their bananas?
The only thing I could really find out about bananas is Tokyo is the company Tokyo Banana (東京ばな奈), which makes tasty banana cream-filled sponge cakes.
My family bought a few while we were in Tokyo. They’re pretty good, and apparently they’re the #1 best-selling souvenir! Is this Rilakkuma really referring to this banana cream cake company? Googling “tokyo” + “banana” and there are just pages and pages about this company alone!
It’s a really cute concept: the regular banana cream only ones are a solid yellow, and they use animal print to represent additional flavors. This giraffe-print one is filled with banana caramel custard cream! There’s also leopard spots (chocolate), and tabby cat stripes (caramel).
Anyway, I also found out there are banana vending machines around Tokyo, so maybe that has something to do with it, too haha.
In other news, I’ve been playing that daily Rilakkuma raffle that Ariel posted about earlier and won another background, Rilakkuma Meets Honey theme this time! I think I’ll play every day haha
RilakkumaLifestyle 
Mmm that looks so good. I had no idea about that. Bananas are what Tokyo is known for wow well Chiba has peanuts!? I’d rather have bananas.
Your Rilakkuma is so cute, he is totally perfect for you!! He is really well done, as always ;)
Haha I was surprised about the banana+Toyko thing too; it’s not such an obvious symbol of the city like the Nara one. It’s really interesting to see what symbols they chose.
Also wow, there are 2 different peanut designs for Chiba! According to the Chiba tourism website, 76% of Japan’s peanuts are produced there :O
Yeah go Chiba but I would rather it be know for ice cream lol. Wow 76%!!
Banana plushie rilakkuma would be so cute! Im not sure about the banana popularity either, but I know that souvenir became especially popular this year.. I’ve never tried it! ^-^; I’ve seen girls with the banana cake mobile phone straps also haha
It’s such a cute novelty souvenir! The taste is alright, but I like it most because of the packaging and the design haha. I can’t believe people have banana cake mobile phone straps too! Didn’t know Tokyo Banana would be that popular hahaha
omg – that banana sponge cake thing looks SOOOO GOOD!!! Now you make me hungry!!! Damn it!!! >.< Now I must go forage for some food!!!! :<
Hahahaha I feel like Rilakkuma is always associated with food, he makes me so hungry…
I didn’t know that bananas are that popular in Tokyo, now I know what souvenirs to get when I am there, hehe, and the sponge cake looks so delicious!
Rilakkuma looks so cute as a store clerk! He will probably be really lazy though and leave all the work to Kiiroitori store clerk hehe.
Oh definitely haha, Rilakkuma never likes to make an effort unless it’s for food haha. I think in the Rilakkuma game for Wii, there’s a minigame where you can do yoga, but Rilakkuma just kinda lays around in the background while Korilakkuma and Kiiroitori lead hahaha
Haha rilakkuma yoga sounds so adorable! And so fitting of rilakkuma’s personality to just lay in the background and chill!