On November 3, beloved character company San-X’s famously laid-back bear Rilakkuma joined the third Tokyo Space-Out Competition at Shibuya’s Miyashita Park — only to receive a red card just 15 minutes in for the ultimate rule violation: moving.
What’s the Space-out Competition?
First held in South Korea in 2014, the Space-Out Competition (bo-ttosuru taikai) is a competitive sport for doing absolutely nothing. Participants sit in silence for 90 minutes, gazing into the distance while heart rate monitors and audience votes decide who achieves the purest state of mental blankness.
The Japanese edition invited competitors to sit on the grass at Miyashita Park under the afternoon sun, escape from digital overload and rediscover the lost art of spacing out. It was simultaneously a mindfulness convention and a gathering of those inclined toward a little absurdism.
Rilakkuma Takes on the Challenge
At this year’s competition, Rilakkuma, the ultimate symbol of relaxation, participated. If anyone was born for this event, it’s Rilakkuma; the brown cartoon bear’s identity is inextricably tied to naps and slow days eating pancakes. Before the contest began, Rilakkuma even demonstrated the proper “zoning-out” form on stage.
But once the competition started, things went adorably off script. 15 minutes into the contest, Rilakkuma turned around, dropped a pillow and generally failed to maintain perfect stillness — a shocking outcome from the master of chill. The judges had no choice but to flash a red card and escort the bear off the field.
Despite the early exit, Rilakkuma returned for the award ceremony, presenting the winner with a Rilakkuma gift set. Disqualified or not, Japan’s most relaxed bear reminded everyone that in today’s hectic world, a little bit of “doing nothing” goes a long way.
