Mocco puppets and Japan’s dream of conquering the Tokyo 2021 Olympics

The Mocco Chi puppet is a big piece that has appeared in a sequence of Olympic and Paralympic cultural occasions in Japan. This puppet has a top of 10m, is erected by a metal body weighing 1.5 tons. The look of the puppets, from ornamental motifs to costumes, are imprinted with the wealthy pure area of Tohoku.

The concept of ​​the Mocco puppet got here from a few years in the past by artistic director Yanai Michihiko. He needed to make this work to draw extra individuals to the catastrophe space. It is thought that along with Japanese artists, kids throughout Tohoku are additionally concerned in contributing concepts for the Moccoc puppet. The concepts of the kids of Tohoku have been synthesized and integrated into the puppet’s design. One scholar taking part within the workshop stated: “I came up with a leaf shape for the clothes.”

Mr. Yanai stated he had heard from some individuals exterior of Japan that nobody lived in Tohoku anymore. And so he deliberate an out of doors tour with 3 stops in Tohoku from spring 2020.

Although the tour was postponed as a result of pandemic, it was lastly restarted in May 2021. The tour has helped Tohoku develop into recognized to many individuals after being devastated by the earthquake and tsunami catastrophe a decade in the past.

The Mocco puppet embodies the indomitable and resilient spirit of the Tohoku individuals after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe in March 2021. This puppet not solely introduced pleasure to the individuals of Tohoku after the catastrophe, but in addition was a supply of non secular encouragement for the Japanese individuals throughout the Covid-19 pandemic wave.

Ms. Takadama Kumi – a resident of Tohoku stated that because the catastrophe, simply trying on the sea makes Ms. Takadama Kumi really feel scared. For her, the Mocco undertaking is a method for her to neglect her day by day worries.

Suzuki Satoshi – a volunteer on the tour shared: “For me, the disaster of 2011 was like the end of the world. I still vividly remember the horror of that moment. But today, I want to enjoy the event. It’s not every day that you experience something like this. I am very proud to be involved.”

Mocco’s puppet present was efficiently held with out an viewers as a result of laws of epidemic prevention measures. The Japanese individuals watched from afar and have been actually delighted when the mocco puppet grew to become the image of this yr’s Tokyo, Japan Olympics.

According to the newest announcement of the International Olympic Committee, the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Japan – Tokyo Olympics – will open on July 23, 2021 and finish on August 8. This yr’s Tokyo Olympics will compete in 33 sports activities with 339 occasions and about 15,000 athletes from 162 nations and territories will compete.

Previously, the biggest sports activities competition on the planet was scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8, 2020, however as a result of COVID-19 epidemic, it needed to be postponed. On March 30, 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) determined to not cancel the Games, however moved the time to 2021, whereas protecting the title “Olympic Tokyo 2020”.