VOX POPULI: Like a teddy bear, a stuffed toy often works to ease stress
My name is Nui, which is short for 'nuigurumi,' meaning cuddle toy in Japanese.
There are many of us, and we bring comfort to tired humans.
Our function changed dramatically some years ago, broadening the scope of our activities. How did that happen? I'll try my best to explain.
Did you always think stuffed toys are just for children to play with at home? Sorry, you've got that wrong.
Nowadays, even grownups bring their nuigurumi toys when they eat out or go on a trip. This is collectively referred to in colloquial Japanese as 'nui-katsu,' which may translate loosely as 'doing things with plushies.'
People of all ages--kids, adults and seniors--are into nui-katsu today.
If you have your favorite nuigurumi, you'd call it 'oshi-nui' (my fave plushie).
'Nui-dori' means taking videos and pictures of nuigurumi and posting them on social media. That's become quite a fad.
And more recently, there are even 'events' that let people send their nuigurumi toy to a museum for an overnight stay, so it can 'closely appreciate' works of art on the owner's behalf.
If you watched professional baseball news on television in January, you will remember seeing many rookie ballplayers entering their dormitories, one after another, hugging big stuffed toys: bears, lions or even nuigurumi of the popular manga character Doraemon.
In the tough world of professional baseball, the presence of these cuddly toys must be a source of comfort.
The nuigurumi market couldn't be in better shape, ringing up 45 billion yen ($311.4 million) in annual sales. What's the secret of this incredible success?
Humans are trying to figure it out, I know. One explanation is the lack of human contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another centers on nuigurumi helping to simplify interpersonal communication.
But at the end of the day, let me say that our relationship with our human 'owners' is much more complex. Some people seek comfort and healing from us. Some say that we are their best buddies ever.
And we are happy with you people. That's good enough, right?
--The Asahi Shimbun, July 5
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
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