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Amabie

April 25, 2020 By mk

The article does not directly relate to Murakami. However, I assume it may draw the interest of some of you who are interested in the surreal aspects based on the Japanese folklore in his novel and how those surrealities still work in the life in modern society;

the mysterious merperson instructed that in order to stave off the disease, people should draw an image of it and share it with as many people as possible.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has recently gotten involved with the newfound Amabie craze.

Amabie may be just a fictional figure, but spreading its image is helping to bring light and togetherness in a time when people are looking for connection and hope.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200422-amabie-the-japanese-monster-going-viral?

Pics added on July, 2020

In the suspended Sushi restaurant @Ningyocho
In the subway
Osaki station posted the illustration by the station staff. Boehringer Ingelheim Japan has its office in the south of the station; the north side is known as a founded place of Sony as well as the place where Shinagawa Monkey lived.
The special bottles of sake, Amabie edition. It says “Beat the Epidemic”.