Who is the mascot of the Tokyo Olympics 2021? Explaining the story of Miraitowa

Miraitowa is the mascot of Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Miraitowa is an 'Ichimatsu' or a Japanese doll. It is a combination of two Japanese words, "mirai" and "towa". "Mirai" means future and "towa" means eternity. The mascot is styled with the Ai (indigo blue) Ichimatsu pattern from the Tokyo 2020 Games emblem.

Indigo blue holds a lot of significance in Japanese culture. Aristocrats used the natural dye which was made from fermented leaves of the indigo plant mixed with water. But in the Japan of 1603 to 1868, all sorts of people from common folk to samurai wore dyed clothes. Indigo-dyed clothes were not only fashionable, but they also had three additional benefits: the fiber becomes stronger after indigo dying, it has an insect-repelling and a UV protective effect. This color is still used in a lot of Japanese items, even blue jeans.

Miraitowa has catlike ears, large anime-style eyes, and an athletic frame. Its white body is covered in an indigo Ichimatsu pattern similar to that of the Tokyo 2020 emblem. The pattern on its face goes back to the helmets worn by ancient samurai. It has the special ability of teleportation, able to move anywhere instantly.

The mascot has been designed by Japanese artist Ryo Taniguchi.

The mascot was selected from a competition process held between 2017 and 2018. A total of 2,042 entries which were submitted to the Tokyo Organizing Committee. The committee then selected three pairs of unnamed mascot designs, which were then presented to Japanese elementary school students for the final decision.

According to Olympics.com, Miraitowa is cheerful and remarkably athletic, with a very strong sense of integrity. Miraitowa has a personality inspired by the Japanese proverb, “learn from the past and develop new ideas”.

Miraitowa was first revealed in July 2018.

📣It's official! The name of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games mascot is #MIRAITOWA, and #SOMEITY as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games mascot! Comment down below and Say Hi to our official mascots! pic.twitter.com/5AAYnsabKH

— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 22, 2018

Miraitowa’s first public appearance was at a naming ceremony at the Tokyo Midtown Hibiya in the middle of modern Tokyo, where it appeared alongside the Paralympic mascot, Someity. Miraitowa then showed off its teleporting skills by traveling instantly to Asakusa in Old Tokyo, where it cruised down the Sumida River and met new fans.

Miraitowa is used on the official merchandise and licensed products of Tokyo Olympics 2020.