TAINAN,TAIWAN -- With the Tainan 400 promotion campaign coming to an end, a commercial featuring Tainan’s adorable mascot “Hāng-á Niau” (Taiwanese for “Alley Cat”) was played on the lively streets of Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan. From September 21st (Sat.) to 27th (Fri.), the cute mascot can be seen in the promotional video “Hāng-á Niau Invites You to Tainan” at YUNIKA VISION in front of Seibu-Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, one of the busiest station in Japan with a daily traffic of 770,000 passengers on average.

The mascot “Hāng-á Niau” takes after the legendary creature qilin, with a lightning pattern on its tail to symbolize good luck. The design is inspired by the rat-catching cats kept on trading ships during the Age of Discovery. The origin not only echoes the historical significance of Tainan 400, but also highlights the cultural inclusiveness of that time. In addition, the patterns on “Hāng-á Niau” also incorporate Tainan’s unique architectural characteristics and historical contexts.

Earlier from August 13th to 18th, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Tainan City Government had the “Tainan 400” promo video broadcast in the center of Paris (France), Times Square in New York City (USA), and New Balance Gangnam in Seoul (South Korea). This time, the mascot “Hāng-á Niau” takes center stage in Japan and will surely attract more international tourists to Tainan and experience its profound culture.