Like its US counterpart, the Japan Red Cross Society (日本赤十字社) also collects blood donations. Unlike in the US, each prefecture in Japan has its very own regional Kenketsu-chan (けんけつちゃん), a blood-donation (献血) mascot!

Image from Ishikawa Red Cross.

Today I received a notice from the Ishikawa blood center than I am now eligible for another donation; the postcard was decorated with our own Kenketsu-chans, Lord Maeda Toshiie and his wife Matsu.

Kaga Yuzen silk-dyeing (Ishikawa pref) Kenketsu-chan represents one of Ishikawa's many artisanal crafts.

Today’s fun link is “Kenketsu-chan Dress-Up” on the Hyogo-ken Red Cross site. Click the description to change Kenketsu-chan’s outfit to something regional, like a sarubobo doll from Hida-Takayama, a Chiba peanut, or an Alpine adventurer from Nagano-ken. The order seems to be by prefecture from a Hokkaido to Okinawa (plus a few extra); the older prefectural Kenketsu-chan mascots are here.

For more Kenketsu-tachi, see the Japan Red Cross Kenketsu-chan page.

To give blood in Japan, see the guidelines here and find a donation center here.

-Leah (O+)