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 ...

Ever seen an illustration so cute it melted your heart? That's likely the magic of kawaii drawings at work! This Japanese art ...

Cuteness as a Japanese concept predates the modern use of the word “kawaii” — for example, in Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868), “netsuke,” or miniature charms made of ivory or boxwood ...

All images courtesy of Two Kids and a Coupon Dive into a world of cuteness overload with our collection of Kawaii Snack ...

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.

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.

He dubs his genre as Kawaii Metal (or ‘Cute Metal’), which mixes some elements from heavy metal and J-Pop. One of the pioneers of this genre is a Japanese idol trio Babymetal, who just wrapped ...

Sanrio, the leading Japanese kawaii brand, launched its Valentine's Day 2025 collection for fans of Hello Kitty, Kuromi and ...