© Hikone-cityOnly in Japan would a dancing cat become a famed mascot for a 400-year-old castle. Although Hikone Castle is culturally significant as one of just 12 castles in Japan whose original keep is preserved, the real reason it's become a major tourist attraction is Hiko-nyan. Although the cat is actually the official mascot of Hikone City, his image was allowed to be used free of royalties with the view to revitalising the town, so he was quickly snapped up by the marketing departments of a number of companies, including the castle. Three times a day, Hiko-nyan dances and plays instruments inside the castle, and stages a performance in which he draws his sword. Amazingly, the number of tourists visiting Hikone Castle annually has soared from 400,000 to 700,000 as a result. This has led to renewed nationwide recognition of the castle's grandeur and historic legacy. Local governments throughout the country have taken note of this interesting marketing exercise and have since begun launching their own mascots, sparking a boom in characters such as Kumamoto Prefecture's Kumamon and Funabashi (in Chiba Prefecture) City's Funassyi, both of whom have become media personalities.