Miyako-jima Mamoru-kun

　Miyako Island is known for its blue sea, known as Miyako blue. However, my personal favourite is Miyako-jima Mamoru-kun, a police officer-shaped doll. These police officer-shaped dolls were installed on roads for traffic safety in 1996 and have been seen on Miyako Island and the surrounding islands ever since. The character is now popular with tourists, and various goods such as sweets and stationery based on the character are on sale.
　When I first visited Miyako Island, I found them extremely creepy. However once I got used to them, I found them strangely cute and mysterious. In Japan, such strange but somewhat funny characters are described as ‘kimo kawaii’ (strange and cute).
　The over 20 Mamoru-kuns are siblings, each with a name and a slightly different face. The location of the installation sometimes changes due to personnel changes, so it is difficult to identify them without checking the names written on the back of the base, which also tickles the hearts of maniacs.