Limited Suica Penguin Cookies available July 1st in Tokyo

You know you want to eat one of these.

Almost everything in Japan has a mascot. Some mascots are more popular than others. Some mascots are so popular that the goods and images for the mascot is more popular than the actual product, place, or company that the character represents.

Pop quiz: what is Docomo's main mascot? (Answer at the end of this article)

For those who are fans of IC Card Suica Penguin mascot and happen to be in Tokyo on July 1st, you're in luck. The Hotel Metropolitan is offering a limited one time run of cookies (butter flavored) in the shape of the JR East's famous penguin mascot. Only 40,000 cookies will be made, in two styles (one winking and one not), and they will be sold from the Pastry & Bakery Boutique CROSS DINE in the Hotel Metropolitan located in western Ikebukuro for ¥300 a cookie.

The Suica Penguin character was created by the famous picture book illustrator 坂崎千春 {SAKAZAKI Chiharu}} in 2001. "Mobile Suica", which is the version of Suica that is integrated into legacy Japanese "feature phones" and then Japanese "Galápagos [Android] smart" phones (ガラスマ {garasuma}), was first introduced in 2006. Originally a hardware feature for Docomo only, it is now also available on many KDDI/au and Softbank Android based phones. Sorry, it is not integrated into Apple iPhones. Almost all of Japan's regional IC Card systems were integrated and became cross compatible with each other early this year. In addition to being able to pay for most travel around the nation with Suica, you can also use it for purchases at most convenience stores and many restaurants and shops around Japan. Sorry, the Android Mobile Suica app and widget only works with おサイフケータイ {o-saifu kētai} (Japan-only "mobile wallet" technology) FeliCa hardware integrated phones (exclusive or hybrid NFC models), not non-Japanese Android NFC-only phones.

For those of you that miss the cookies but still want limited edition Penguin goods, Tokyo Station has a shop, "Pensta" (ペンスタ {Pensta}), near the 八重洲南口 {Yaesu Minami-guchi} exit on thje 1st floor, that sells nothing but Suica Penguin accessories.

Answer to the question in the second paragraph: Dokomodake