Female virtual YouTubers are here to collaborate with Tokyo’s Kanda Myojin Shrine in a punny way

https://ift.tt/eqycMrg Krista Rogers

Hololive Production teams up with one of Tokyo’s most important shrines to provide a creative new method of support.

Kanda Myojin (神田明神) was originally established in 730 and is traditionally considered to be one of Tokyo’s most important Shinto shrines. In fact, the Kanda Festival is one of the three major festivals of Tokyo, celebrated every other year alternating with Hie Shrine’s Sanno Festival. Due to its proximity to the Akihabara electronics district, it’s also a popular stop for techies and even sells amulets to protect electronic items.

▼ Kanda Myojin

Despite its antiquity, that’s why Kanda Myojin is actually the perfect shrine to team up with the Hololive Production company of virtual YouTubers (“vTubers”) to offer a set of collaborative goods beginning on March 30. The set is known as the Kanda Myojin Shrine Support set and consists of three bottles of ginger ale and one original postcard for 1,680 yen (US$13.75).

That name might sound straightforward enough, but it’s actually a witty pun. First, “jinja” is the Japanese word for “shrine,” which is almost identical to the Japanese pronunciation of “ginger.” Second, “ale” is pronounced the same in Japanese as “yell,” which has a native meaning of a yell of encouragement or a cheer. Therefore, the name of the set could be interpreted as either “ginger ale” or “shrine support”–not a bad marketing technique!

▼ Kanda Myojin Shrine Support set

The three vTubers associated with Hololive Production that were selected for the collaboration are Ayame Nakiri, Sakura Miko, and Mio Ookami, as seen below.

▼ Ayame Nakiri

▼ Sakura Miko

▼ Mio Ookami

As depicted in the three original postcards gorgeously illustrated by Izumi Sai, the vTubers have been outfitted in the red and white robes of a miko shrine maiden. One postcard is randomly selected to go with each set.

Presently, you can also spot a giant wooden prayer tablet (“ema”) on Kanda Myojin’s grounds to commemorate the girls teaming up for the collaboration.

The Kanda Myojin Shrine Support set will go on sale on March 30 at Kanda Myojin’s Edocco Café Masu Masu, where 200 sets will be available per day until sold out, or at this online shop.

For more ways that Japanese shrines and temples are approaching the question of how to garner public support in this modern age, you might be interested in living at one of these Buddhist temples through the newly launched Tera Ango service platform.

Source, images: PR Times
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