I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 216 is about Kumamon! The adorable Kumamon! Kumamon, the mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture!

Morning light streamed through the wooden lattice windows, casting dappled patterns of light into the living room of this 500-square-meter detached house in the heart of Kumamoto City.

The maid's footsteps on the tatami mats were as light as feathers. She had just placed the warm milk on the low mahogany table when the sliding door at the end of the second-floor corridor was pulled open with a "whoosh".

Fujiwara Isshin was wearing a neatly ironed navy blue loungewear set, her hair was combed meticulously, and she walked down the stairs with light steps, exuding the composure unique to civil servants.

As soon as he reached the center of the living room, the servant bowed respectfully and said, "Good morning, Second Young Master."

Fujiwara Isshin nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over his parents sitting at the low table. His father, Fujiwara Honmaru, was wearing a dark gray kimono, holding a copy of the Asahi Shimbun in his hand, his brows furrowed as he looked at something. His mother, Fujiwara Temari, was stirring miso soup in her bowl with a small silver spoon. Seeing him come down, she immediately put down the spoon and smiled, "Isshin, come and sit down. Breakfast has just been warmed up; it will get cold if you don't eat it soon."

Fujimoto Maru then looked up from the newspaper, his gaze falling on his son. His tone was calm yet carried an undeniable authority: "Sit down. How was the dinner party at the Koyama family's house yesterday?"

Fujiwara Isshin sat down at the low table, and a servant quickly handed him a bowl and chopsticks.

He picked up his chopsticks and first put a piece of pickled radish on each of his parents' plates before slowly speaking: "The people in the Koyama family are all very kind. Although Uncle Yoshiji used to be the head of the teaching department, he has no airs at all and told me a lot about the old days of Kumamoto Middle School. Aunt Takasae is also very enthusiastic. Her temari sushi is delicious. My two younger sisters, Misae and Yume, are also very lively."

Fujiwara Temari's eyes crinkled with delight as she listened. She put down her soup bowl, her voice filled with satisfaction: "I knew the Koyama family had a good tradition. Your Uncle Yoshiji used to be the head of student affairs at Kumamoto Junior High School; he managed the students very well, and his children were also very polite. By the way..."

She changed the subject, her eyes now gleaming with a hint of gossip, "How's it going with Masaya? No awkward silences, right?"

Fujiwara Isshin paused in his chopsticks, his ear tips turning slightly red, but his tone remained steady: "Miss Masaya is very quiet and doesn't talk much, but she is very thoughtful. Yesterday, I accidentally spilled sake on my sleeve, and she quietly handed me a clean wet wipe and even explained to Uncle Yoshiji that it wasn't my fault, but that the cup was too slippery."

He paused, then added, "She also talked to me a lot about the history of Kumamoto. She knows more than I do. It's obvious that she reads a lot of books. She's a very virtuous girl."

"Oh my!" Upon hearing this, Fujiwara Temari immediately turned to look at Fujiwara Honmaru, her eyes shining like stars: "Did you hear that? I told you that Masaya is a good kid, steady and thoughtful, the perfect match for Isshin! When I told you about the marriage alliance with the Koyama family, you hesitated, but now you believe me?"

Fujimoto Maru put down the newspaper in his hand, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and finally softened his tone: "I have been inquiring about the eldest daughter of the Koyama family for a long time. Many people say that Masaya has been learning to cook and do needlework from her mother since she was a child. After school, she will also help take care of her two younger sisters. She is indeed a good girl who is old-fashioned."

He looked up at Fujiwara Isshin, his eyes filled with seriousness. "Isshin, you're twenty-eight this year, not young anymore. A girl like Masaya is the kind of woman who can settle down and build a life together, unlike those pretty faces who only know how to dress up. If you think it's right for you, settle down sooner rather than later, don't drag it out."

Fujiwara Isshin put down his chopsticks, leaned forward slightly, and said sincerely, "Father, I know. Miss Maya is indeed a good girl. I am willing to get to know her better and try to establish a relationship as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Fujiwara no Honmaru and Fujiwara no Temari exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

You know, they had introduced Fujiwara Isshin to many girls before, either the daughters of prefectural councilors or the daughters of big business owners, but he either refused on the grounds of being "too busy with work" or never contacted them again after meeting them once. This time, he actually took the initiative to say that he was willing to get to know Masaya better. It's like the sun has risen in the west!

Fujiwara Temari was so excited she almost spilled the miso soup in her hand. She quickly composed herself and put a piece of grilled fish on Fujiwara Isshin's plate: "Good, good! It's good that you're willing to understand! In the future, invite Masaya out more often, go to Kumamoto Castle, or go to a hot spring at the foot of Mount Aso to soak in the hot springs and strengthen your relationship. If you don't have enough money, just tell Mom, and Mom will get you some!"

Fujiwara nods, his tone tinged with relief: "It's good that you've come to your senses. Although our Fujiwara family is quite prominent in Kumamoto, we don't have many members. Your older brother has always worked in Kyoto, Kansai. From now on, we'll have to rely on you for the family's affairs."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming serious. "Your older brother recently told me that he's planning to join the Liberal Democratic Party and wants to use his connections to transfer to Tokyo. He probably won't be coming back to Kumamoto much anymore. My connections and relationships in the House of Representatives, as well as my position as a member of parliament, will all be passed on to you. You are the key figure for our Fujiwara family to remain in Kumamoto. You must support the future of the family and can no longer be as carefree as before."

Fujiwara Temari sighed, her voice full of worry: "Yes, Isshin. If you don't get married soon, those members of the branch family will start to get restless. Your second uncle's son has been going to the prefectural government every day lately, trying to get close to those councilors. Isn't he just trying to take your councilor position after your father retires? If you get married soon and have a stable family, those members of the branch family won't dare to be so presumptuous."

Fujiwara Isshin's face darkened; he was well aware of the situation at home.

Although the Fujiwara family was a prominent clan in Kumamoto, it was divided into the main family and more than a dozen branch families. They appeared harmonious on the surface, but in reality, they were all vying for power. Fujiwara Kenichi, the son of the second uncle's family, always believed that he was more capable than his brother and repeatedly said in public that he "only knew how to study and didn't understand human relationships." If he didn't get married and didn't achieve any outstanding political achievements, the members of the branch families would definitely unite to pull him down from his position as heir.

He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Fujiwara no Honmaru and Fujiwara no Temari: "Father, Mother, I know your worries. Please rest assured, I will get along well with Miss Masaya, establish our relationship as soon as possible, and strive to get married next spring. In the future, I will also put more effort into my work and strive to achieve some political achievements so that those who split up the family will not have any opportunity to take advantage of me."

Fujiwara no Honmaru and Fujiwara no Temari breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his determination. Fujiwara no Temari then served Fujiwara no Isshin a bowl of miso soup: "Drink it while it's hot, don't let it get cold. There's no need to rush the marriage, take your time. The most important thing is to get along well with Masaya."

Fujiwara Isshin picked up the soup bowl, took a sip, and suddenly remembered something. He put down the bowl and said, "By the way, Father, Mother, I also saw Nohara Hiroshi at the Koyama family's dinner party yesterday."

"Nohara Hiroshi?" Fujiwara Honmaru and Fujiwara Temari were both stunned.

Fujiwara Maru frowned, his tone puzzled: "That famous director from TV Tokyo? The one who directed 'Yamishibai,' 'Tales of the Unusual,' and 'Seven Samurai'? I remember reading in the newspaper that he was Misae's boyfriend, the second daughter of the Koyama family. What? He was there yesterday too?"

Fujiwara Temari nodded, her tone full of surprise: "I was talking about him with Mrs. Sato next door a few days ago. She said Hiroshi Nohara is amazing. He became the head of TV Tokyo at a young age and even started his own production department. His movies and TV dramas are very popular. I didn't expect him to be at yesterday's family dinner."

Fujiwara Isshin nodded: "Yes, yesterday's family dinner was to welcome him back to Kumamoto. Uncle Yoshiji said that he is usually very busy working in Tokyo and rarely comes back to Kumamoto. This time, he made a special trip back to meet with the Koyama family and talk about the marriage."

He paused, then added, "Uncle Yoshiji also said that because I am Miss Masaya's boyfriend, he specially called me over so that I could get to know Hiroshi Nohara. In the future, we will all be family and can take care of each other."

Fujimoto Maru raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice: "Oh? So, the Koyama family considers you their prospective son-in-law? Otherwise, they wouldn't have specifically called you over to meet Nohara Hiroshi. It seems Koyama Yoshiji is quite satisfied with you as his son-in-law."

Fujiwara Temari laughed as well: "Of course, Isshin is a civil servant in the Ministry of Finance of the prefectural government, young and promising, and handsome too. How could the Koyama family not be satisfied? But then again,"

She changed the subject, her eyes showing a hint of curiosity: "How did your conversation with Hiroshi Nohara go? What's he like as a person? Is he as amazing as they say on TV?"

Fujiwara Isshin put down his soup bowl and said seriously, "Nohara Hiroshi is even more amazing than I imagined. He looks very young, about my age, but he's actually four years younger than me. But he's very calm and composed in his speech and actions, not impetuous at all. Yesterday we talked a lot about movies and TV dramas. He knows a lot about the Japanese film and television industry and even analyzed the development trend of the film and television industry under the current economic conditions for me. He spoke very eloquently and was more professional than those old directors who have worked in television stations for decades."

He paused, then added, "I also talked to him about promoting Kumamoto. He said that Kumamoto's current problem is that it doesn't have a memorable feature; it's either volcanoes or horse meat, which are too ordinary. He suggested that I start with 'cute animals' and design a cartoon character exclusive to Kumamoto, such as 'Kumamon,' to attract the attention of young people and children with a cute image, so that Kumamoto can become popular."

Upon hearing this, Fujimoto Maru's eyes immediately lit up: "Kumamon? That's a great idea! I've discussed Kumamon's promotional plans with the people at the prefectural government before. They either suggested making a documentary or holding a trade fair, but those are too old-fashioned and nobody would want to watch them. Using a cartoon character for promotion is a fresh approach."

He looked at Fujiwara Isshin, his tone filled with anticipation: "What else did Nohara Hiroshi say? Is there a concrete plan?"

Fujiwara Isshin nodded and recounted to Fujiwara Honmaru and Fujiwara Temari everything that Nohara Hiroshi had told him yesterday about the design concept and promotional methods for Kumamon, including Kumamon's image, animation content, event arrangements, and so on.

Fujimoto Maru grew increasingly excited as he listened, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. His voice was filled with enthusiasm: "Great! This plan is excellent! It captures the essence of Kumamoto while also appealing to modern tastes. Young people love cute things, and children are willing to buy merchandise. This will definitely boost Kumamoto's popularity! Isshin, tomorrow you should organize this plan and submit it to the prefectural government's publicity department, trying to get them to approve it as soon as possible!"

Fujiwara Temari nodded in agreement: "That's right! If Kumamon becomes popular, our tourism revenue in Kumamoto will definitely increase significantly. You'll also have achievements to show for yourself in the prefectural government, and those who split up the family won't dare to say anything. Isshin, you have to get along well with Hiroshi Nohara. He's a capable man, and he might be able to help our family in the future."

Fujiwara Isshin nodded, agreeing with his mother's words.

Hiroshi Nohara is not only talented, but also has connections. Building a good relationship with him will benefit your future work and family life.

Just then, a servant came over, holding a pager, and respectfully handed it to Fujiwara Isshin: "Second Young Master, your pager has rung. It's the prefectural government's number."

Fujiwara Isshin took the pager, pressed a button, and the screen displayed a message: "Go immediately to the Ministry of Finance office in the prefectural government; there is an emergency meeting."

He frowned, put down the pager, and said to Fujiwara no Motomaru and Fujiwara no Temari, "Father, Mother, there's an urgent meeting at the prefectural government, so I have to go. I won't have breakfast; you can eat at your leisure."

Fujimoto Maru nodded: "Go ahead, be careful on the way. After the meeting, remember to organize the Kumamon proposal, don't delay it."

Fujiwara Temari also reminded him, "Drive slowly on the road, don't rush. If the meeting ends late, call home and your mother will save some food for you."

Fujiwara Isshin responded, turned around, and quickly walked up the stairs to his room to change his clothes.

Watching their son's hurried departure, Fujiwara no Honmaru and Fujiwara no Temari exchanged a glance, both seeing relief in each other's eyes.

Fujiwara Temari sighed, "Our Isshin has finally grown up and knows how to care about things at home. Before, he always thought work was the most important thing and didn't care about marriage. Now, he's not only willing to spend time with Masae, but he's also thinking about contributing to Kumamoto. That's wonderful."

Fujiwara no Masamune nodded, picked up the newspaper in his hand, but didn't look at it again, his eyes filled with anticipation: "I hope this Kumamon proposal will succeed. If it does, our position in the prefectural government will be more secure, and we'll be more certain of taking over my seat as a councilor in the future. By the way..."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious: "Go to Koyama's house this afternoon and talk to Gao Sae. Ask her about Masaya and Isshin, and see if they can settle things as soon as possible. It would be best if they could get engaged before the end of the year and get married next spring."

Fujiwara Temari smiled and nodded: "Okay! I'll go this afternoon! I can talk to Takasae about Hiroshi Nohara and ask him if he's interested in collaborating with our company. It would be even better if we could get him to help promote Kumamon."

Fujiwara nods without saying anything more, picks up the newspaper again, but a slight smile involuntarily creeps onto his lips—he has a premonition that the Fujiwara family's good days are about to begin.

Meanwhile, Fujiwara Isshin had already changed into a suit and was walking briskly out of his house with his briefcase.

The car started slowly, and Fujiwara Isshin leaned back in his seat, his mind still preoccupied with what Nohara Hiroshi had said the day before.

He felt that Hiroshi Nohara was not only a talented director, but also a visionary.

If the Kumamon project succeeds, it will not only make Kumamon famous, but also allow him to gain a foothold in the prefectural government. It's a win-win situation.

He took out his pager and sent a message to his colleague in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs: "After the meeting, please help me compile a list of tourism data and specialty product sales data for Kumamoto in recent years. I need it."

After sending the message, he leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and began to visualize the image of Kumamon that he had created in his mind during his conversation with Hiroshi Nohara yesterday—a chubby body, black fur, a white belly and face, round eyes, a big nose, and two red cheeks. It looked silly, but it was very cute.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible the image seemed, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.

That's cute.

The car quickly arrived at the county government building. Fujiwara Isshin got out of the car and strode into the building.

He knew the upcoming meeting might be tricky, but he was prepared. He not only had to propose the Kumamon idea at the meeting, but also persuade the prefectural leaders to support him and get the plan implemented as soon as possible.

This is not only for Kumamoto, but also for myself and for the future of the Fujiwara family.

Upon entering the prefectural government building, Fujiwara Isshin encountered Yamada Ichiro, the head of the prefectural government's publicity department.

Yamada Ichiro, clutching a crumpled document, hurried to meet Fujiwara Isshin.

A few stray white hairs clung to his temples, and the cuffs of his navy blue suit were frayed, but they couldn't hide the urgency in his eyes—this soon-to-retire publicity manager had been so worried about the publicity plan for Kumamoto that he hadn't even had the appetite for breakfast lately. "Isshin, you've finally arrived!"

Yamada Ichiro patted Fujiwara Isshin's arm, his voice low but filled with anxiety: "Look at these figures. Last month, the number of tourists to Kumamoto dropped by another five percentage points, and the orders for citrus fruits are 30% less than last year. If this continues, forget about revitalizing the local economy, even the publicity budget given by the prefectural government will be cut!"

He shoved the document in his hand to Fujiwara Isshin. The paper was covered with numbers and red circles next to them. At the bottom line, there was a hastily written message: "A new plan needs to be developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance as soon as possible."

“I’ve discussed this with my old colleagues at the county office several times, and they all say that the propaganda department can’t do it alone. We need your Tibet Province to act as a go-between—you’re familiar with the presidents of those business companies and can secure sponsorships; you also have financial data and know where to invest the money. Don’t you think we should have a proper discussion about this?”

Fujiwara Isshin took the document, his fingertip pausing on the line "Decrease in tourist numbers".

After discussing the Kumamon project with Hiroshi Nohara yesterday, he spent the night reviewing three years' worth of tourism data and had already identified the problem: Kumamoto's promotion has always revolved around "volcanoes" and "samurai culture," which young people find old-fashioned, while family tourists are afraid of the dangers of the volcanoes. If they don't change their approach, the area will only become more deserted.

He looked up at Yamada Ichiro, his tone steady yet resolute: "Minister Yamada, you're right, relying solely on the propaganda department isn't enough. But rest assured, I'm already responsible for coordinating propaganda efforts in some areas within the Ministry of Finance. As long as it's for Kumamoto's benefit, I'll definitely cooperate fully. And..."

He paused, noticing the growing urgency in Yamada Ichiro's eyes, before continuing, "When I was talking to someone yesterday, I came up with a new idea that might solve our current predicament."

"A new idea?" Yamada Ichiro's eyes lit up, and he gripped Fujiwara Isshin's arm even tighter. "Tell me quickly! Should we make a movie like Akita, or build a theme park like Hokkaido? As long as we can attract tourists, we're willing to try anything!"

The two walked to the door of the publicity department's office, and Yamada Ichiro simply pulled Fujiwara Isshin inside and closed the door behind him.

He was afraid that his other colleagues would hear him, and if his ideas were not mature enough, they would say he was "daydreaming".

Several boxes of tangerines were piled up in the office. They were brought by fruit farmers asking for help in promoting them. The peels were a bit wrinkled, which was heartbreaking to see.

Fujiwara Isshin sat in a folding chair, poured Yamada Ichiro a cup of hot tea, and then slowly began, "Minister Yamada, what kind of things do you think young people like the most these days? Serious historical documentaries, or cute and interesting things?" Yamada Ichiro paused, stroked his chin, and thought for a moment. "Cute things, of course! My granddaughter sleeps with a cartoon doll every day, and even has three plush toys hanging on her schoolbag. But in Kumamoto... besides volcanoes and samurai, what cute things can we talk about?"

“Yes.” Fujiwara Isshin leaned forward, his tone excited. “Kumamoto used to be called the ‘Land of Fire,’ but the prefectural emblem has a bear on it, there are bear statues in the shrines, and even the old folks say that ‘the bear is the guardian deity of Kumamoto’—why don’t we start with the ‘bear’ and create a cute mascot character?”

"A cute pet-like character?" Yamada Ichiro's hand, holding a teacup, froze in mid-air, the steam blurring his glasses. "You mean... like Mickey Mouse from Disney? But how much would that cost? Our prefectural budget..."

“It won’t cost too much money.” Fujiwara Isshin interrupted him, taking out a sketchbook from his briefcase—it was a sketch he had drawn at home last night based on the ideas Hiroshi Nohara had given him. Although the lines were rough, you could clearly see a round, black bear: its belly and face were white, its eyes were round, and it had two blobs of rouge on its cheeks, making it look silly.

“Look, let’s call it ‘Kumamon.’” He pointed to the image on the paper, his tone becoming increasingly confident: “No need for complicated animation. First, print it into posters and put them up at train stations and shrines. Then, make some small plush toys to give to children who come to visit. Next, collaborate with local convenience stores to have Kumamon appear on snack packaging. We can also have staff wear mascot costumes and take photos with tourists at the foot of Mount Aso—young people like taking photos and handing out flyers, and children like to walk around with plush toys. In this way, won’t Kumamoto’s fame gradually spread?”

He paused, then added, "I also looked up information about the NBA in the US. Their teams all have mascots, like the Los Angeles Lakers' teddy bear, which not only livens up the atmosphere at events but also generates revenue by selling merchandise. Our Kumamon can do the same, for example, selling T-shirts and keychains with its image printed on them, or even collaborating with fruit farmers to print Kumamon on citrus gift boxes. This way, we can promote local specialties and help tourists remember Kumamoto."

Yamada Ichiro leaned closer to examine the sketch paper, gently poking at the teddy bear's cheek with his finger. The doubt in his eyes slowly turned into surprise: "This...this teddy bear is actually quite cute! If my granddaughter saw it, she'd definitely beg for a doll. But would young people like it? Don't they all prefer handsome idol stars?"

“Don’t underestimate the power of ‘cuteness’.” Fujiwara Isshin smiled, took out another magazine from his briefcase, flipped to the entertainment section, and pointed to the article: “You see, ‘healing’ stuff is all the rage in Tokyo lately. Young people are under a lot of work pressure, so they like to relax by watching cute things. Why was Hiroshi Nohara’s ‘Midnight Diner’ so popular? It’s because the stories in it are warm and healing. Our Kumamon is following the same path—it doesn’t need to sing or dance, it just needs to greet tourists in a silly way to make them happy, and that’s why people want to come to Kumamoto.”

When Hiroshi Nohara was mentioned, Ichiro Yamada's eyes lit up even more: "You mean that famous director from TV Tokyo? His 'Hachiko Monogatari' really made Akita Prefecture famous!"

Fujiwara Isshin didn't elaborate on the family relationship, but simply nodded: "I've always felt that Kumamoto's promotion is too outdated and needs to be changed to a way that young people like. The idea behind Kumamon actually borrowed from his—after all, Hiroshi Nohara also said in an interview, 'Good promotion is not about pushing hard, but about making people remember willingly,' which I think makes a lot of sense."

Yamada Ichiro put down his teacup, picked up the sketch paper, and examined it repeatedly, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips. "Great! This idea is excellent! Much more practical than making a documentary! I'll report this to the prefectural government leadership right away and try to get the budget approved! Oh, and..."

He suddenly remembered something, looked up at Fujiwara Isshin, and said with a touch of emotion in his eyes: "Isshin, you usually deal with numbers in the Ministry of Finance, how did you suddenly come up with such a 'cute' idea? This is not like your way of thinking - you have always been so pragmatic and calm, you always calculate the costs and benefits before doing anything."

As he spoke, he laughed first, then reached out and patted Fujiwara Isshin on the shoulder: "Could it be that your older brother, Fujiwara Kazumasa, who works at the Kansai Kyoto Government Office, came up with this idea? I heard he's quite good at cultural promotion in Kyoto. He was the one who planned the last Kyoto Cherry Blossom Festival, and the number of tourists increased by 20% compared to previous years!"

Fujiwara Isshin couldn't help but smile wryly upon hearing this—his older brother was indeed remarkable, having been smarter than him since childhood, always ahead of him in both studies and work.

The elders in the family always say, "Ichimaru is the pride of the Fujiwara family." Even the old leaders of the prefectural government know that "there is a Fujiwara Ichimaru in Kansai, who is a master at propaganda."

He shook his head, pushed the sketchbook towards Yamada Ichiro, and said sincerely, "It wasn't my brother's idea; I figured it out myself. After talking with Mr. Nohara Hiroshi yesterday, I spent half the night reviewing materials before confirming that this approach was feasible. Actually..."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly: "I also want to do something practical for Kumamoto. As you know, I've been in the Ministry of Finance for five years, dealing with financial statements all the time, and I don't have any notable achievements. Kumamoto's economy is in such a difficult situation right now, so if this plan can help everyone, it will be my way of doing my part."

Looking at his serious expression, Yamada Ichiro suddenly felt a pang of emotion. He had always thought that Fujiwara Isshin was an "elite in a greenhouse," who got into the Ministry of Finance through family connections and had never experienced hardship. But now it seemed that this young man had Kumamoto in his heart and was willing to calm down and think of a solution, which was quite rare.

But at that moment, Yamada Ichiro's fingers, which were holding the sketch paper, suddenly paused. His fingertips brushed against the lines of the bear's blush, and he even subconsciously softened his breathing.

He took off his glasses, wiped the condensation off the lenses with his sleeve, and put them back on. His eyes were filled with disbelief and urgency, and his voice even rose a little: "Isshin, you just said... this line of thought is related to Mr. Hiroshi Nohara?"

The boxes of citrus fruits piled up in the office still emitted a faint fruity fragrance, but no one was paying attention to them at the moment.

Fujiwara Isshin, seeing Yamada Ichiro's eyes suddenly light up, knew that the old minister must have remembered the influence of "Hachiko: A Dog's Tale." He nodded, his tone tinged with admiration: "Yes, yesterday I went to the Koyama family for a banquet and happened to meet Nohara-san. He's the boyfriend of Misae, the second daughter of the Koyama family, and he came back to Kumamoto specifically to visit his elders. During dinner, we talked about the current situation in Kumamoto, and he mentioned the idea of ​​'breaking stereotypes with cute animal images.' I pondered it for half the night before I finally sorted out the specific plan for Kumamon."

"The son-in-law of the Koyama family?" Yamada Ichiro almost dropped the sketchbook in his hand. He leaned forward, his chair creaking as it scraped against the floor. "The Koyama family, your girlfriend's family!? I never imagined their second son-in-law would be Hiroshi Nohara from TV Tokyo! The one who stirred up the anime world with 'Yamishibai,' made 'Tales of the Unusual' a trend for urban legends, and directed 'Seven Samurai,' hailed as the 'new progenitor of samurai films'?"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his fingers tapping rapidly on the table: "And that 'Super Transformation' show! My wife watches it on TV every day, saying that the show makes neighbors more willing to greet each other—last time, my neighbor Mrs. Sato even specially made an 'Ultraman transformation' prop for her grandson, just like in the show, and brought the child over to our house to show it off!"

Fujiwara Isshin couldn't help but laugh when he saw Yamada Ichiro's expression.

Normally, this old minister in the county office always has a stern face, and even his speech carries the seriousness of an "old-fashioned civil servant." This is the first time I've seen him so excited.

He nodded in confirmation: "It's him. Nohara-san looks young, only twenty-four years old, but he is very composed in his speech and actions. Yesterday, when we talked about the promotion of Kumamoto, he didn't give me a plan directly. Instead, he asked me first, 'What is the most unique and easily overlooked symbol of Kumamoto?' I told him 'bear,' and then he followed that point and talked to me about the idea of ​​'using a cute image to close the distance.'"

"Twenty-four years old!" Yamada Ichiro gasped, slapping his thigh. "So young and already so capable! When I was twenty-four, I'd barely even been to the county town!"

He picked up the sketch paper and looked at it carefully again, his eyes filled with even more surprise: "You know what, this Kumamon really does have Hiroshi Nohara's style—isn't that what his films are like? They look simple, but they always manage to touch people's hearts. In 'Midnight Diner,' even a bowl of char siu rice can make people cry, this little bear might really make everyone remember Kumamon!"

He suddenly remembered something, looked up at Fujiwara Isshin, and said with a hint of urgency, "By the way! Did Nohara Hiroshi say if we really make this Kumamon thing, could he help? Like... like making a short animation about Kumamon, or having 'Super Transformation' mention it? If he helps, this thing will be half done!"

Fujiwara Isshin picked up his teacup and took a sip, suppressing his excitement: "I was too embarrassed to bring it up directly yesterday, since it was just a preliminary idea. But Nohara-san did say that 'good cultural symbols need everyone to nurture them together,' and that if Kumamoto could really create something memorable, he wouldn't mind helping to promote it—after all, he's practically Kumamoto's son-in-law, so he definitely wants Kumamoto to get better and better."

"Half a son-in-law!" Yamada Ichiro's eyes lit up even more. He carefully folded the sketch paper and put it in his suit's inner pocket, as if he were hiding a treasure. "This is wonderful! With his words, we're on track! You don't know, last time Akita Prefecture was all thanks to his 'Hachiko: A Dog's Tale.' Now Akita dog plush toys are sold out, and even Akita rice and sake have become hot commodities—I have an old colleague who works at the Akita Prefectural Government Office, and last month he was bragging to me that their prefecture's fiscal revenue had increased by almost ten percent, all thanks to the tourism boom sparked by that movie!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but sigh, tapping his fingers lightly on the table: "I used to think that 'cultural promotion' was all empty talk, that it was more practical to build a road or a factory. But this Akita incident has woken me up—good cultural works can bring a place to life! Look at it now, everyone in Japan knows that 'Akita has Hachiko waiting for his master,' couples go to Akita to take wedding photos, parents take their children to see the Hachiko statue, even companies choose Akita for team building—this isn't just making a movie, it's finding a 'living advertisement' for Akita Prefecture!"

Fujiwara Isshin listened, and his heart was filled with emotion.

He only knew that "Hachiko Monogatari" was doing well at the box office, but he didn't expect it to have such a big impact on Akita Prefecture.

He recalled Hiroshi Nohara's words about "connection" from yesterday and suddenly understood: "Nohara-san said, 'Good works are not isolated; they connect people and places, and people with each other.' Hachiko connected Akita and Tokyo, and connected the audience with the emotion of 'protection,' which is why it has such a great influence. If our Kumamon can do the same, it might become a 'connecting symbol' for Kumamoto, just like Hachiko."

“That’s right!” Yamada Ichiro nodded emphatically, his tone full of agreement: “Just like you said, Kumamon doesn’t need to know anything else. As long as people can ‘think of Kumamoto when they see it, and want to come and see it when they think of Kumamoto,’ that’s enough! I’ll go and report to the leaders of the prefectural government right away, and try to finalize the plan today—if we can launch it before the cherry blossom season, it might even attract a wave of cherry blossom tourists!”

He was about to get up when he stopped at the door, turned back to look at Fujiwara Isshin, and said with a serious look in his eyes, "Isshin, we really owe you a lot this time. If Kumamoto Bear succeeds, you'll be a hero of Kumamoto! In the future, if there's anything good happening in the prefectural government, I'll definitely think of you first!"

Fujiwara Isshin quickly waved his hand: "Minister Yamada, you're too kind. I just did what I was supposed to do. Besides, this matter will require your continued attention, since you have extensive experience in the publicity department and know how to implement the plan."

Yamada Ichiro laughed and patted him on the shoulder: "Let's help each other out! It's all for Kumamoto!"

He tucked the sketch paper into his pocket and walked briskly out of the office, even the furrowed brows he had been keeping relaxed—the publicity problem that had been troubling him for months was finally showing signs of resolution, how could he not be happy?

Fujiwara Isshin was left alone in the office. He looked out the window at the cherry blossom tree in front of the prefectural government building. Tiny buds were already sprouting on the branches. Suddenly, he had a thought: when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, he might see tourists taking pictures under the cherry blossom tree while holding Kumamon plush toys.

Just then, his pager rang. It was a message from the Ministry of Finance office: "The minister wants you to return immediately. There is an emergency meeting regarding the local fiscal budget."

Fujiwara Isshin put away his pager, stood up, and straightened his suit jacket—there was still a lot to do: coordinate the budget with his colleagues at the Ministry of Finance, help Department Head Yamada prepare the proposal report, and confirm the details of Kumamon with Hiroshi Nohara…

He walked to the door, then looked back at the boxes of tangerines on the table. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head: perhaps he could collaborate with the fruit farmers to print Kumamon's image on the tangerine gift boxes and attach a small card that read "Sweet tangerines recommended by Kumamon"—this would not only help the fruit farmers find a market but also make Kumamon's image more easily remembered by everyone.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile and quickly walked out of the office—he wanted to tell Yamada Ichiro about this idea as soon as possible so that Kumamon's plan could be improved.

In the corridor of the prefectural government building, staff members were busy moving around, and everyone looked a little tired—after all, Kumamoto's economic situation was not good, and everyone was under a lot of pressure.

But Fujiwara Isshin felt full of energy. He knew that as long as everyone worked together, Kumamoto would definitely get better and better.

He walked to the door of the Ministry of Finance office, took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and went inside.

The new challenges have only just begun.

The meeting lasted the entire afternoon, mainly discussing adjustments to the local fiscal budget, which included the budget application from the propaganda department.

When Yamada Ichiro submitted the Kumamon proposal, the prefectural leaders were initially hesitant, feeling that "using a cartoon character for publicity" was too risky and that it would be better to spend the money on more "practical" things.

But Yamada Ichiro argued forcefully, not only presenting tourism data from Akita Prefecture, but also showing the leaders a sketch of Kumamon drawn by Fujiwara Isshin: "Look at this little bear, how cute it is! Young people will definitely like it! And we don't need to spend too much money, we can start by making some small souvenirs to test the waters, and if the effect is good, we can increase the investment—this is a sure-fire way to make money!"

Fujiwara Isshin added, analyzing the costs and benefits of Kumamon: "According to data analysis from the Ministry of Finance, if Kumamon can increase tourist numbers by five percentage points, it can bring nearly one billion yen in tourism revenue to Kumamoto, as well as boost sales of local specialties and create jobs—which is much more worthwhile than investing money in infrastructure construction that has a slow return."

After looking at the sketch paper and listening to the two men's analysis, the leaders finally relented: "Then let's allocate part of the budget first to test the waters. If it works well, we'll add more budget later."

Hearing this, Yamada Ichiro and Fujiwara Isshin both breathed a sigh of relief—Kumamon's plan had finally taken its first step.

After the meeting ended, it was already dark, and the lights in the county government building lit up one by one, like stars in the night sky.

Yamada Ichiro took Fujiwara Isshin to an izakaya near the prefectural government building, where they ordered several dishes of appetizers and a pot of sake.

"Come on, cheers!" Yamada Ichiro raised his glass, his eyes full of smiles. "To celebrate the approval of our Kumamon plan!"

Fujiwara Isshin also raised his glass and clinked it with his: "Cheers! I hope Kumamon will live up to expectations and make Kumamoto a hit!"

The aroma of sake spread in his mouth, carrying a slightly tipsy warmth. Yamada Ichiro took a sip of sake, then remembered something, his tone tinged with emotion: "By the way, did you know? Tokyo Governor Ryuichi Koike's approval rating has recently risen again, I heard it's because of the influence of 'Hachiko: A Dog's Tale'—the people think he cares about culture and is a good official who understands people's livelihoods."

Fujiwara Isshin was taken aback: "I've heard of it, but I didn't expect it to have such a big impact."

“That’s right!” Yamada Ichiro put down his glass, his tone tinged with envy: “Akita Prefecture turned its fortunes around with a movie, Tokyo won over the people with cultural promotion, and if Kumamoto can become popular with Kumamon, maybe the governor’s approval rating will rise, and then our prefectural government will have an easier time.”

He paused, then lowered his voice, as if he were talking about a secret: "I also heard from friends in Tokyo that Governor Koike helped Yoshihiro Shimazu in this Tokyo mayoral election—wasn't Yoshihiro Shimazu going to step down as president of TV Tokyo and run for mayor of Tokyo? Governor Koike not only helped him build a lot of connections, but also gave him a campaign strategy called 'information cocoon'."

"Information cocoon?" Fujiwara Isshin frowned; it was the first time he'd heard the term. "What does that mean?"

Yamada Ichiro shook his head, a hint of doubt in his voice: "I don't know either. I heard it's a pretty novel idea that makes voters only see Shimazu Yoshihiro's strengths and ignore his weaknesses. But my friend said that this idea was actually proposed by Nohara Hiroshi—you know, how can Nohara Hiroshi be good at everything? Making movies and doing variety shows is one thing, but he can even come up with ideas for political campaigns. He's a real genius!"

"Was it Nohara-san who suggested it?" Fujiwara Isshin's eyes widened in surprise. When he chatted with Nohara Hiroshi yesterday, he only knew that he was going to help Shimazu Yoshihiro make a documentary related to his campaign, but he did not expect that even the campaign strategy came from him.

Yamada Ichiro nodded: "My friend works at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, so the information should be accurate. You know, Hiroshi Nohara is so talented at such a young age, his future is truly limitless! It's a blessing that Kumamoto can be associated with him."

Fujiwara Isshin also sighed inwardly, thinking that Hiroshi Nohara was not only talented but also visionary, and that he could achieve success in different fields. Such a person was indeed rare.

He suddenly remembered what Hiroshi Nohara had said about "connection" yesterday. Perhaps "information cocoon" is also a kind of "connection"—connecting Yoshihiro Shimazu with the needs of voters, making it easier for voters to accept his ideas.

Thinking of this, his admiration for Hiroshi Nohara grew even stronger—this man always managed to solve the most complex problems in the simplest way.

The warm light of the izakaya shone on the two of them, and the aroma of sake mixed with the smell of grilled chicken made them feel especially cozy.

Ichiro Yamada was still excitedly talking about Kumamon's promotional plans, saying that he wanted to collaborate with a Tokyo TV station to make a short animation about Kumamon; Isshin Fujiwara listened attentively, occasionally offering his own ideas.

The night outside the window grew darker, and the lights of Kumamoto City shimmered like scattered diamonds on black velvet.

As Fujiwara Isshin looked at the lights outside the window, a firm idea suddenly formed in his mind: he must do a good job of making Kumamon a success, so that more people would know about Kumamoto and like Kumamoto—not only for the people of Kumamoto, but also to live up to Hiroshi Nohara's trust.

He raised his glass and clinked it against Yamada Ichiro's: "Minister Yamada, let's work together to make Kumamon a character loved by all of Japan!"

Yamada Ichiro smiled and nodded: "Okay! Let's work hard together!"

As the sake went down his throat, a warm feeling spread throughout his body. Fujiwara Isshin knew that the road ahead might be difficult, but as long as everyone worked together, there was no difficulty that could not be overcome.

Kumamon is the light that illuminates Kumamoto's future.

(End of this chapter)