Following a thorough investigation, I was able to discover the significance behind the object in regards to Buddhist pilgrimage and it’s cultural importance in Japan. The object is meant to be adorned on one’s classic Japanese pilgrim attire and jingle as the pilgrim walks along on their journey. The feature character modeled after a bird is known, lovingly, as Kobaton throughout the Saitama prefecture. 

         Kobaton was named the prefecture mascot of Saitama in January of 2005. The mascot is meant to represent the spirit of the prefecture, as well as showcase a local treasure of the region. This mascot is considered by local residents to accurately be a ‘festive’ and ‘energetic’ representation of the area. Kobaton is modeled after the prefecture’s favorite Collar Turtle Dove, or Shirakobato in Japanese. This particular bird is part of the Columbidae family, is brown, and has the notable feature of a black ring around its neck. Shirakobato is a rare creature found only in Saitama, hence why it was chosen to represent the prefecture. It was deemed the official bird of Koshigaya City, located in Saitama, in 1988 as part of an event meant to mark the 30^th anniversary of the city. In addition to being a national and local treasure, this bird has been chosen to signify environmental protection within the country.

 

          In addition to items manufactured for the purpose of being sold along the Chichibu route, Kobaton can be seen throughout the material world of Saitama. The mascot is featured on numerous products, advertisements, events, and restaurant slogans. The influence that Kobaton has had in Saitama goes far beyond a mere mascot, the character has truly taken on it’s own personality and place within the culture. Kobaton provides distinction for the prefecture, as well as being a source of regional pride in addition to being easily incorporated into the realms of consumerism and capitalism present in modern societies. Below are just a few of the hundreds of examples of products that have embraced Kobaton. If you like, you can even be one of the 2,000 followers of Kobaton on Twitter at https://twitter.com/kobatonya    

For more examples: http://www.kobatonya.com

           The Saitama prefecture is known for being home to the Chichibu thirty-four Kannon temple circuit, which is considered to be a recent attachment to ancient 100 Kannon pilgrimage route. This inland region is located just North of Japan’s capital city, Tokyo. It is home to a number of Japan’s major cities including, Omiya, Fukaya, Sayama, and Kawagoe. Formerly known as a predominately agricultural area, this mountainous prefecture has quickly become a more modernized and industrial territory. This is largely due to its close geographical relation to Tokyo. The Chichibu route can be entered with relative ease from Tokyo, giving modern pilgrims the option to experience a majority of the prefecture’s temples through the use of motorized transportation, including trains and tour buses.

To see the mascot in action, take a look at this video from Kobaton's twitter page: https://twitter.com/kobatonya/media