"Oriya, UFOya"... Children's Raincoat Causing a Stir in Japan

A Unique Combination of Raincoat and Umbrella
Covered Head with a Hat, Opens Like an Umbrella on the Shoulders

A unique children's raincoat that combines an umbrella and a raincoat, reminiscent of a yellow duck, is becoming a hot topic on social networking services (SNS) in Japan.

On the 15th, Japanese lifestyle media Hintpop introduced the story of SNS X (formerly Twitter) user 'Ryripapa,' a father of two, saying, "A raincoat that overturns conventional ideas is causing a big sensation on the internet." In the photos he posted on the 13th, his two children are wearing a distinctive yellow raincoat inspired by a duck. This raincoat is not a typical outerwear-style raincoat but has a hood-like head covering and spreads out sideways like an umbrella over the shoulders.

Photo posted by Japanese X user 'Riripapa'. The children in the photo are wearing unique raincoats. [Image source=Social Networking Service (SNS) capture]

Ryripapa expressed satisfaction with the new raincoat his wife bought. He said, "This raincoat is not only easy to wear but also frees both hands, making it safer when falling," adding, "Its advantage is that it provides good visibility even in bad weather." However, there are drawbacks. Ryripapa said, "I felt embarrassed as a man, like I was carrying a bird," and added, "Everyone said it was cute, but my son made a unique expression, which made me even more embarrassed."

He also gave a positive evaluation of its function as a raincoat. He said, "I don't know about heavy rain, but it seems to be no problem in normal rain," and added, "The bag can be worn on the back, so I don't have to carry my child's bag, and it's easy to hold the child's hand."

The appearance when folding the raincoat. [Image source=Social Networking Service (SNS) capture]

As of the 15th, this post has recorded 7.7 million views and received more than 150,000 likes. Local netizens who saw this post responded with comments such as, "I wish there was an adult version," "We should get one too," "If I meet a child wearing this raincoat, I think I will look at them several times," "It looks like a UFO," and "It's great. Because it stands out, it might prevent traffic accidents." Another netizen who claimed to be a buyer agreed entirely with Ryripapa's opinion, saying, "That's an accurate description. Cute but embarrassing."