HIKONE, Shiga — Hikonyan, the popular mascot for Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, will mark 20 years since its debut in April. The city plans to hold a celebration for the character’s birthday.Though Hikonyan has been widely recognized as a symbol of the city, it is not well known that the character was created for a one-time event 20 years ago.Hikonyan made its first appearance in 2006 as a mascot for a festival to mark the 400th anniversary of Hikone Castle, an event which was held in 2007. The castle is a national treasure.The mascot was named Hikonyan on April 13, 2006, based on one of the many proposals submitted by the public.Hikonyan is modeled on “beckoning cats,” a common form of lucky charm in Japan. A cat is said to have guided the second lord of the Hikone domain, Ii Naotaka (1590-1659), to a temple and saved him from a thunderstorm.The mascot wears a red samurai helmet because the heads of the Ii family inherited a set of red armor.