Kirk here. It’s been 400 years since Kato Kiyomasa changed the first character of Kumamoto from 隈 (meaning “corner,” “nook,” or “recess”) to 熊 (meaning “bear”). Now, Kumamoto is about to undergo another name change. In keeping with the growth of Kumamoto’s photovoltaic industry and the new importance of Kumamoto as the home of the Self-Defense Force’s electronic warfare unit, Governor Kabashima has announced that Kumamoto will be renamed “Voltomoto” (ヴォルト本) and that Kumamon will be replaced with a cute electric eel character called “Voltomon.” “I think Kumamon fans may be shocked by Voltomon,” chuckled Kabashima to the gaggle of scowling reporters. Then, the governor added, “No seriously. You gotta be careful. If you get too close to this mascot he’ll shock you. It’s his way of protecting himself from fans who cross the line, so to speak.” Asked if his decision had anything to do with to Volkswagen’s recent name change, the governor replied “Well, yah, but not just that. I’m also a big fan of our pro basketball team, the Volters, and thought this might be a way to ‘spark’ some interest in them. Hah, ha, ha.”
Happy April 1st! ;)