Kawaii is a term you may have heard before. In Japanese, it means cute or adorable and can be used to refer to people or items. If you know Hello Kitty or Pokemon, then you’ll have a good idea of what is means for something to be kawaii. I was intrigued that you can also describe someone’s handwriting as kawaii.
There is also the whole aesthetics of being or dressing kawaii which is also controversial in that the way of thinking that women have to be so and emphasising that one must be forever youthful.
The economic impact of kawaii culture also can’t be ignored. Just think about how far the likes of Hello Kitty, Studio Ghibli and Pokemon have spread around the world with the target audience not always being kids.
Personally, I think kawaii culture is infused in daily life in Japan. It’s morphed in along with the Japanese aesthetics in general of appreciated each thing as it is and how items sit in space/nature. Below are some pictures that I’ve taken that seem quite cute to me. Growing up in the west, there has been trickles of kawaii items but it is not readily available or seen. Of course, Japanese cartoons were very much present on TV’s here and on some stationery when I was a kid. As I’ve grown older and read more about the culture of Japan spreading out into the world and how this came to be, I have a new found appreciation for kawaii items however I’ve yet to find the perfect kawaii bag.
Food
A bento box sold at stations that you can eat on the Shinkansen train. Beautifully packed in a wooden box, the pieces of food become art.
Ornately decorated but not enough for it to be too much or too extra.
Environment
I even thought cars and vans seemed quite cute in Japan
A dragon above a restaurant that seems fierce but on second look, maybe not
The Glico (the makers of the confectionery Pocky) Running Man in Osaka is a landmark in town has been here for 80 years.
Looking like a restaurant out of a Studio Ghibli film, this could’ve been quite a boring exterior but these lanterns really give the place more depth and character.
No words needed
Objects
An onigiri pouch
Anpanman and pikachu backpacks
Doraemon bags
Poke ball bags
Fueki Cosmetics
Inari foxes or kitsune are the messenger animal of the God Inari.
Gyoza pouch
Fox shaped Ema’s at the Inari Shrine
Do you associate kawaii culture with Japan? Are you tempted to buy these items?
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