Mascot Naming Contest 2026

Deadline: END OF DAY Friday, March 27th, 2026

We’re excited to announce that the Japan Parade Mascot Naming Contest is now open! This is your chance to help shape the future of Japan Parade by giving our brand-new mascot a name.

As Japan Parade & Street Fair continues to grow, the introduction of an official mascot marks an important step in strengthening the event’s identity and creating a lasting symbol that can be enjoyed by generations to come.

We invite members of our community to participate in this special initiative and submit a name that captures the spirit of Japan Parade.

About “Japan Parade & Street Fair”

Japan Day @ Central Park was an annual event celebrating Japanese culture, art, and tradition held in Central Park since 2007, organized with the New York-based 501(c)(3) organization Japan Day Inc.’s three objectives: To celebrate and further promote the cultural exchange and friendship between the United States and Japan, to show the local Japanese and Japanese American community’s appreciation towards their home – New York City, and to strengthen ties and demonstrate solidarity within the local Japanese-American community.

After years of cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was reborn as the Japan Parade & Street Fair in 2022 and has since welcomed tens of thousands of attendees each year.

Application Details

Deadline: END OF DAY Friday, March 27th, 2026
Application Fee: Free
Eligibility: Open to residents of United States of America

Participants under 18 years of age must obtain permission from a parent or legal guardian.

How to Enter

Submit your proposed mascot name through the official entry form:

https://japanday.wufoo.com/forms/qb3lmhi0eyt6ev/

Only one (1) entry per person will be accepted.

If the same individual submits multiple entries, only the first entry will be counted.

Rewards

Grand Prize Winner:

One (1) Pair of 4-Day Tickets to Anime NYC 2026 (provided by Anime NYC)
Autograph and Illustration by mascot creator, manga artist, and illustrator Acky Bright
Official Japan Parade Mascot Merchandise*

*Some restrictions may apply.

Prize winners may also be invited to participate in a brief interview or promotional feature.

Japan Day Inc. will not provide reimbursements for costs incurred, including but not limited to travel and accommodation expenses.

Prizes are non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash.

Naming Guidelines

Names must be original and created by the participant.
Gender-less names are preferred.
Submissions must not infringe upon any copyrights, trademarks, or intellectual property rights.
Names must not be offensive, inappropriate, or contain discriminatory language.
Japan Day Inc. reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these guidelines.

Winner Selection

All eligible submissions will be reviewed by Japan Day Inc., and the final name will be selected based on creativity, originality, and overall alignment with the mascot and the spirit of Japan Parade.

If multiple participants submit the same name and that name is selected, the winner will be determined by random drawing.

Japan Day Inc. reserves the right not to select a winner if no submission meets the contest standards.

Disclaimer

The selected mascot name will become the property of Japan Day Inc. By submitting an entry, participants grant Japan Day Inc. the right to use the selected name for promotional, commercial, and organizational purposes without additional compensation.

Japan Day Inc. reserves the right, at any time and in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual for violations of contest guidelines.

Japan Day Inc. is not responsible for technical issues, lost submissions, or any costs related to participation in the contest.

Japan Day Inc. will not be responsible for any fees or costs in connection with travel, lodging, or any other expenses incurred by the redemption or acquisition of prizes.

Disqualification

Submissions may be deemed ineligible if they:

Have been previously published or used commercially
Violate copyrights, intellectual property rights, or any related rights of a third party
Are generated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools
Contain explicit, violent, or discriminatory language