Handmade 'Kumamon' teddy by Steiff on display in Japan

Handmade 'Kumamon' teddy by Steiff on display in Japan

KUMAMOTO, Japan - A special "Kumamon" teddy bear, handmade from plush at German high-end teddy bear manufacturer Steiff Co., is displayed at Kumamon Square in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, on Aug. 22, 2014. Kumamon is Kumamoto Prefecture's mascot character for promoting its tourism and local products.

Quake-hit prefecture to put Kumamon back into action Thurs.

Quake-hit prefecture to put Kumamon back into action Thurs.

Saya Matsumoto (R), 10, and her brother Kazuya, 6, write messages for Kumamon, a black bear mascot (front) of Kumamoto Prefecture, at Kumamon Square in the southwestern Japanese city of Kumamoto on May 4, 2016. The prefectural government of Kumamoto has decided to allow the mascot that has remained unseen in public settings since massive earthquakes jolted the area, to make a comeback on May 5 at the request of fans and the local sightseeing industry. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Quake-hit prefecture to put Kumamon back into action Thurs.

Quake-hit prefecture to put Kumamon back into action Thurs.

Children write messages for Kumamon, a black bear mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture, in a notebook at Kumamon Square in the southwestern Japanese city of Kumamoto on May 4, 2016. The prefectural government of Kumamoto has decided to allow the mascot that has remained unseen in public settings since massive earthquakes jolted the area, to make a comeback on May 5 at the request of fans and the local sightseeing industry. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Handmade 'Kumamon' teddy by Steiff on display in Japan

Handmade 'Kumamon' teddy by Steiff on display in Japan

KUMAMOTO, Japan - A special "Kumamon" teddy bear, handmade from plush at German high-end teddy bear manufacturer Steiff Co., is displayed at Kumamon Square in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, on Aug. 22, 2014. Kumamon is Kumamoto Prefecture's mascot character for promoting its tourism and local products. (Kyodo)