Just Watching Makes Time Fly... Brought It In to Eat, but Became a Big Fan of the 'Capybara' [Nichiyobi Nichibunka]

Imported in the 1960s for Edible Research
Became Popular as a Character in the 2000s

These days, if we were to pick the most popular animal in Korea, it would probably be the panda. There is nothing more pleasant than watching a chubby panda rolling around here and there.

In Japan, the animal as popular as the panda is undoubtedly the capybara. It is a fascinating creature that is neither a rat nor a pig. Recently, it has been frequently mentioned on social networking services (SNS) in Korea as the 'most sociable animal.' In Japan, during the New Year, broadcasts often show capybaras bathing in hot springs.

So, when did capybaras start gaining popularity in Japan?

Capybaras originally live in South America. They are the largest species among rodents and their name means 'lord of the plains' in the indigenous language. Capybaras were introduced to Japan in the late 1960s. Although it is a cruel story, they were imported by a Japanese university for research to see if they were edible. Some of the capybaras brought in for research were sent to the Izu Saboten Zoo, marking the beginning of capybara captive breeding in Japan.

Capybara photographed by 'Capybara photographer' Watanabe Katsuhito. (Photo by Watanabe Katsuhito Instagram)

Their popularity really took off in the 2000s. This was because the character 'Kapibara-san,' developed as a prize for claw machine games, became incredibly popular. As goods like plush toys continued to be released, the character frequently appeared in TV commercials. This trend caused the number of capybaras being bred to explode.

Japanese Capybara-san character. (Photo by Tryworks Official Website)

Their cute appearance and the way they live in groups also contributed to their popularity. Capybaras live in family groups, so when a mother capybara jumps into a pool, the rest of the children follow suit.

In Japan, you can often see capybaras in outdoor hot springs during year-end zoo events. Since capybaras are animals from South America and dislike the cold, warm water is provided for them. Japanese media often cover this as a year-end and New Year’s feature. The scenes of capybaras enjoying hot springs with floating yuzu fruits while closing their eyes are broadcasted. In Japan, there is a belief that bathing in water infused with yuzu on the winter solstice prevents colds and promotes health.

This year, the Mainichi Shimbun introduced a capybara named 'Yujir?' warming its body in a yuzu outdoor bath. Yujir? is 10 years old, which corresponds to about 70 to 80 years in human age, and many people wished for its long life.

Capybaras enjoying a yuzu bath for the New Year. (Photo by Jiji Press YouTube)

As such, in Japan, there are capybara fan websites and calendars featuring only capybara photos, showing how immensely popular they are. There is even a photographer who loves capybaras so much that they only take pictures of them. Above all, capybaras are classified as 'healing animals' because just looking at them makes people feel healed. They are especially known for their sociability, as they remain calm even when birds perch on their heads. Seeing them get along well with many other animals sometimes makes you think they are better than humans.

Have a joyful weekend with the adorable capybaras.