On Christmas Day, 2010, an anonymous donor left ten 30,000 yen backpacks outside a Japanese orphanage in Gunma Prefecture. Attached to the bags was a card signed by Naoto Date, the secret identity of fictional Japanese wrestler Tiger Mask, who, in the popular 1960s manga by the same name, fought for orphans after being raised in an orphanage himself.
The story was picked up by the press and a week later, on Jan 1, 2011, a similar donation of backpacks was left at an orphanage in Kanagawa Prefecture, again with a note signed by Naoto Date. By Jan 11, over 100 “Tiger Mask” donations, ranging from backpacks to toys, food, and monetary gifts, had been reported at various children’s facilities across the country.
After that, little was heard from Tiger Mask, aside a second donation to the original orphanage in Gunma on Christmas Day, 2011, which failed to inspire a wave of charity as it had the previous year.
Has Tiger Mask forgotten about the children of Japan?
There are certainly people who desire his return: on Nov 6, a city in Shizuoka Prefecture received an anonymous donation of 100,000 yen to be used toward books for children, along with a note signed by “friends of Naoto Date” that read: “We pray for the return of the Tiger Mask movement.”
In the past month, similar acts of generosity have also been observed by other anonymous donors, including a gift of backpacks from an evil villain and a surprise feast of winter fish by a mysterious “man of the ocean”, but still no signs of the original masked philanthropist — until now.
On Dec 11, reception staff at the city hall in Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido, were visited by a man wearing a tiger mask — the Tiger Mask — who handed them a large envelope and said, “My name is Naoto Date. I want you to give this to the children at the city orphanage as a New Year’s gift.”
Inside the envelope were a hundred 1,000 yen bills and 40 decorated enveloped traditionally used for "otoshidama" -- gifts of money given to children on New Year’s Day.
The money will be given to the children at the Hikarigaoka orphanage in Iwamizawa.
Will this be enough to spark the resurgence of the Tiger Mask movement?
If you’d like to become a child’s hero yourself this holiday season, you can even purchase a Tiger Mask from Amazon and make a trip to your local city office, or better yet, set up a heroic visit to your local orphanage or children’s hospital and deliver a little inspiration as well.
Source: Yomiuri Online
Read more stories on RocketNews24. -- Evil Villain “Colonel Muska” Leaves Japanese Orphanage Stacks of Goodies -- Jason Voorhees Spotted Donating School Supplies To Orphanage On Friday The 13th -- Man Leaves Box of Fish at Japanese Orphanage
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15 Comments
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nath
Good on those people. It is heart warming to know that many are thinking of the often forgotten children during the holiday season.
nath
Great news to read first thing in the morning!
I'm wondering if the man/men (I say that in general terms, it could very well be a woman/women...) donating were themselves an orphan in the past. People who are often so selective in matters likes this often have some sort of underlying personal emotion attached. For Example, each year I make small monthly donations to 3 charities. I won't name them, but in the past I required assistance from one and the others also hit closer to home.
kimuzukashiiiii
I love these stories :D
nath
Love this! Keep more news like these coming please.
hereforever
Good on you Naoto Date. My prayers are with you. God Speed.
alliswellinjapan
We need much more of this.
daviddd1212
great...nice to hear good news!
Yubaru
Japan needs more people like this. It's more common in some other countries for strangers to assist those less fortunate and it is heartwarming to know that the spirit exists here in Japan.
I would love to see someone start a Toy's for Tot's campaign here in Japan, I personally dontate yearly to the Marine campaign on Okinawa and the toys are distributed locally amongst orphanges and the Amer-Asian school here.
These memory of these gestures of goodwill will last a lifetime for many of these children!
Tamarama
Love the Tiger Mask!
waltery
30 000 For a school bag! Sounds like they couldn't sell them at that price.
Fadamor
He's BAAAaaack! GO TM!
taj
Waltery, those solidly built leather book case / backpacks, last the kid through 6 years of primary school. Initially it's a big outlay, but in the long run, cost effective when in comparison to continually replacings cheap nylon rucksacks from Walmart.
taj
Lovely story. Thanks for sharing, Rocket News & JT.
bajhista65
God Bless you Tiger mask and others who donate anonymously to the orphanage. May your tribe grow.