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Cruise Tokyo in comfort for free with Suumo’s cozy taxis, hang out with their fluffy mascot

Katy Kelly Feb 20, 2020
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There are only three of these adorable verdant vehicles out on the streets — flag one down if you get the chance!

Suumo is a Japanese real estate service, but you’d be forgiven for not noticing — after all, they’re often generating buzz for whacky publicity stunts or helpful surveys. They have many outlets across Japan, though, and they’re especially easy to notice: just look for the fluffy green marimo mascot!

▼ His name is also Suumo.

For an extremely limited period between February 14 and February 27 this year, Suumo is taking to the streets to spread awareness for his native company. Three taxi cars, bedecked in the company’s signature grassy green tones, will roam Tokyo’s 23 wards and offer anyone who hails it down the chance to drive anywhere in Tokyo for free!

▼ The three cars will operate from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout Tokyo.

There’s a special bonus even among the very limited taxis, though. Out of those three cars, just one of them will come equipped with a heated kotatsu table! But calm down before you start getting excited about warming your knees for free, as the kotatsu is exclusively for Suumo’s use. You have the privilege of sitting across from him and watching him get toasty.

▼ Never mind, this is much better than actually using the kotatsu.

Zoom out from Suumo’s snuggly set-up and you’ll see that the taxi cab is decked out from seat to ceiling in the company’s favorite color, from fuzzy green seats reminiscent of moss to a tasteful green gingham check for the curtains. You’ll feel right at home!

How do you go about procuring this little slice of Suumo for yourself? There are two ways — with the first being simply seeing one of the cabs out in the town without a boarded passenger, and hailing it with the time-honored tradition of flailing your arms wildly at it. The other option is to dispatch one from the DiDi taxi app by registering and selecting “Suumo Taxi” from the list of dispatch vehicles.

▼ A taxi must be running within a 4-kilometer (2.48 mile) radius to be an option, so luck is still a factor.

There’s one more delightful aspect to this fun promotional stunt, namely that anyone who does get to ride one of the Suumo taxis can perform a little scavenger hunt for the duration of their trip (keeping their seatbelts securely fastened, of course). Each customer has the chance of winning a plush toy of Suumo if they find the hidden Suumo tucked away somewhere in the cab!

Do your best to flag down a Suumo taxi if you see one in the limited time period. Being free, they’re as cheap a ride as you can possibly take inside of Tokyo!

Source: Press Release, Didi Mobility Japan
Images: Press Release
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[ Read in Japanese ]