Shikabe, a Hokkaido town famous for its hot springs and seafood, is having a fun time with measures to combat the novel coronavirus.
Shikabe Geyser Park has produced special face shields featuring an illustration of the town's local specialty, "tarako" (cod roe) and the facility is lending them to visitors who have forgotten their protective masks.
The park has been calling on facility users to wear masks to prevent infections. But recently more and more visitors have not brought masks and this has presented a challenge when it comes to preventing the transmission of airborne droplets that can spread the virus.
With that in mind, the park has created four face shields that are available rent-free at the entrance of the park.
Designed with a focus on "Shikabe-ness," an illustration of tarako that resembles a pair of fat lips is situated on the part of the shield that covers the mouth area.
The shield also features stickers with slogans like "I Love Shikabe Town" and "Tarako Fan" around the forehead area.
In addition, the park has also begun selling at 100 yen each original disposable masks that can be transformed into "tarako lips," with a tarako illustration in the center.
The unique designs of the shield and masks have proved popular, with the number of users who wear and take photos of them increasing, according to the park.
A member of staff at the park said, "At a time when lifestyle changes are required, we want to continue to provide a smooth service so that visitors can use the park with peace of mind."
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