In recent years, Japan's kawaii culture has exploded in popularity. WSJ's Eric Bellman speaks with author Manami Okazaki about how cuteness has gained a global fanbase.
The complexity of “kawaii” may help explain Hello ... Forget the understated wabi-sabi aesthetic historically associated with Japan. A chameleon-like cat-girl who reflects unabashed kitsch ...
Cuteness as a Japanese concept predates the modern use ... opened in August of 2024 with a mission to curate a store full of cute, aesthetic items and clothes. Their shop is filled with treasures ...
In Japan, ‘cute’ is a big deal. Their own word for it, kawaii (“ka-why-ee”), is more of an ethos than an adjective. Shops and billboards are filled with big-eyed fluffy figures.