Sento-kun

Heijo-kyo (Heizei-kyo) is an ancient Capital of Japan. The Heijo-kyo was founded in Nara in 710 and it will mark the 1300th anniversary in 2010.

Nara city is planning to celebrate the anniversary now. Sento-kun is the official mascot character for the commemorative events. The character designed by Satoshi Yabuuchi, a sculptor and professor at the University of Tokyo, looks like an image of Buddha with antlers. Many people in Japan expressed negative opinions about the design of the mascot as "ugly" or "sacrilegious against Buddha". Most people had more favorable impression on Hiko-nyan, which is designed for 400th anniversary of Hikone City, rather than Sento-kun.
(Hiko-nyan: http://hikonyan.hikone-150th.jp)

Sento-kun has his family member, roku-bo (his brother) and roku-ji (his grandfather). They are adorable to me, but look somewhat like monsters.

Sento-kun (left), Roku-bo (middle) and Roku-ji (right)
http://www.uwamuki.com/j/newsJ.html.data/1.1jan/CIMG2623-3.jpg
Roku-bo
http://www.uwamuki.com/j/newsJ.html.data/1.1jan/rokubo/rokubo.html