Students learn how to be cute for a living at the world's only mascot school in Japan

For the students at the Choko Group mascot school in Tokyo, while the goal may be to entertain children through their performance, mastering the art isn't child's play. The school was founded by by Choko Oohira, herself a 20-year veteran of wearing mascot costumes, as a way to perfect the art of the costume and movement.



"When I see a real hand poking out of the costume's hand, or their mask slips, it's very disappointing. I just have to correct them. I want to show the world how to fully become the character and explain that's how to make children happy," said Ms Oohira. While mascot wearers in places such as Disneyland or theme parks get on-the-job training, the school which was founded in 1985 is the only one of its kind in Japan and possibly beyond.

Lessons are 2 hours long and students are taught everything from traditional dance to different walking styles to illustrate different ages while wearing costumes or the different ways of acting in an outfit. Only the last part of the lessons are done in full costume, where they stay in character when watching others perform a skit.


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Once students graduate from the school, work is unlikely to be a problem as Japan has been experiencing a massive mascot boom in recent years. Mascots exist for everything from individual companies to government offices, with each having their own character and all being pulled out to help with promotional events whether they be greeting visitors or entertaining school children.