Yukimaru: Prince Shotoku’s Beloved Dog

Yukimaru Mini Plaza and Yukimaru Café Poem

Yukimaru, the beloved dog of Prince Shotoku, is now the official mascot of Oji Town, Nara Prefecture. Known for his intelligence, Yukimaru could understand human speech, recite sutras, and even left a will requesting to be buried northeast of the grave of Daruma Daishi at Darumaji Temple. Today, Yukimaru is celebrated throughout Oji Town, with statues, illustrations, and paw prints found all around.


At the Yukimaru Mini Plaza in the Community Exchange Center, visitors can find information about the town and exhibits related to Yukimaru. The Yukimaru Café "Poem" offers a delightful break with Yukimaru-themed cakes called “Yukimaru” and a variety of Yukimaru merchandise.

Flying Yukimaru: Yukimaru Drone

Yukimaru, wearing the same eboshi hat as his master Prince Shotoku, enjoys a cheerful aerial stroll. It’s quite rare for a municipal mascot to be featured as a drone. You can watch Yukimaru in action on the official Oji Town “Yukimaru” YouTube channel!

You can watch Yukimaru in action on the official Oji Town “Yukimaru” YouTube channel!

Yukimaru’s Profile

【Name】 Yukimaru
【Birthday】 January 1
【Gender】 Male
【Age】 A playful and innocent 1-year-old

【Brief History】
・June 2013: Recognized as Oji Town’s official mascot
・August 2013: Appointed as Oji Town’s Tourism and Public Relations Ambassador
・February 2014: 1st place in the 4th Nara Prefecture Mascot Grand Prix hosted by Nara Nichinichi Newspaper
・November 2014: 11th place in the 2014 Yuru-chara Grand Prix
・February 2018: 1st place in the 8th Nara Prefecture Mascot Grand Prix (5 consecutive wins, inducted into the Hall of Fame)
・June 2024: Celebrated the 11th anniversary as Oji Town’s official mascot

【Personality】
Yukimaru is a laid-back, easygoing boy who moves at his own pace. He’s friendly and affectionate but can get overly excited and clumsy when his curiosity gets the best of him.

【Hobbies】 Taking walks and sunbathing
【Special Skills】 Guiding visitors around Oji Town and falling asleep quickly
【Favorite Words】 “Harmony is to be valued”
【Favorite Foods】 Noodles, daifuku mochi, okara, soy milk, etc.
【Favorite Places】 Wa no Kane, Darumaji Temple, Myojin Mountain, and a warm lap (especially Prince Shotoku’s)

Facility information

Telephone
0745-33-6668
Opening Hours
8:30 - 17:15
Address
2-2-1 Kudo, Oji-cho, Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara
Oji Tourism Association, Regional Exchange Center (Liebell Oji East Building, 5th floor)
Parking
Available
*Use the Liebell Oji Parking Lot (paid parking)
Website
https://home.oji-kanko.kokosil.net/ja/yukimaru https://oji-kanko.kokosil.net/ja/place/00001c0000000000000200000044004d

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