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.

Part of the confusion stems from a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes a lovable or adorable essence. Sanrio recruited Shimizu and other ...

Did you know that Japan has over 3,000 different mascots representing everything from cities to events? During the pandemic they may not be out as much, but usually you would see them around ...

Part of the confusion stems from a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes a lovable or adorable essence. Sanrio recruited Shimizu and other ...

And that's just in Japan, her literal birthplace but not the one listed in her official biography. Confused? Welcome to the party. If there's one thing about Hello Kitty, it's that she's proven ...

Kitty’s popularity is emblematic of the global craze for cute things. In Japan the phenomenon, known as kawaii, dates back to at least the 17th century, when artists started producing miniatures ...