🦝 Kibimaru
The Tanuki of UEA Japan Society
Nobody is entirely sure when Kibimaru first turned up.
What we do know is that he hails from Chiburijima, a tiny island in Shimane Prefecture's Oki Islands. With barely 650 human residents but well over 2,000 tanuki roaming its forests, Kibimaru grew up in about as large a family as anyone could ask for.
Even as a young tanuki, he was drawn to the world beyond his little island, spending his days weaving through the forest, following the beat of festival drums, and, more often than not, hunting for something to eat.
His food of choice has never changed: dango, without question.
Years of wondering what lay beyond Chiburijima eventually led Kibimaru on an adventure far bigger than he'd bargained for. Somehow, that journey brought him all the way to Britain and, eventually, to Norwich and UEA.
It didn't take him long to find the Japan Society.
Watching students learn Japanese, share their culture, and build friendships across borders, Kibimaru knew instantly that he'd found his place. Without asking anyone's permission, he promptly declared himself the society's official mascot.
Nobody has worked up the nerve to argue with him since.
These days, Kibimaru spends his time at Japan Society events, meeting new members, slowly getting the hang of British life and, whenever the opportunity arises, finding something to eat.
Being half Japanese and half British leaves him somewhere between two worlds. He's devoted to Japanese festivals and traditional food, but has also picked up a suspicious fondness for British snacks.
Above all, he loves playing the drums, meeting new people, and eating anything that isn't nailed down.
Coffee is the one exception.
🥁 Personality
Kibimaru is cheerful, curious and just a little mischievous, always first to volunteer for an adventure and always keen to make a new friend. He's also famously food-motivated, and has been known to vanish the moment a packet of snacks is opened.
He's friendly...
Usually.
🍡 Kibimaru's Favourites
| 🍡 | Favourite food | Dango |
| 🍶 | Favourite drink | Alcohol |
| ☕ | Least favourite drink | Coffee |
| 🥁 | Favourite activity | Playing the drums |
| 🎒 | Other hobbies | Eating, exploring, meeting people |
| 🌏 | Nationality | 50% Japanese 🇯🇵 / 50% British 🇬🇧 |
| 🏝️ | Hometown | Chiburijima, Oki Islands, Shimane Prefecture |
| 🦝 | Species | Tanuki |
✨ One Last Mystery...
There's one thing about Kibimaru the Japan Society still hasn't managed to confirm.
He insists that he can transform into a human and, oddly enough, he's never once been seen in the same room as a certain member of the committee.
Coincidence? Perhaps. But it would explain why he always seems to know exactly what's happening at every meeting before anyone's told him.
Ask him outright, and he'll suddenly develop an urgent interest in finding dango.
So whether Kibimaru is an ordinary tanuki, a committee member hiding in plain sight, or something else altogether...
...that's a secret he's keeping entirely to himself.