Kawaii

Kawaii favours big eyes, round faces, pastel colours and soft shapes. It has an air of gentle, harmless innocence. It grew into its own youth culture in the 1970s. One early sign was a craze among schoolgirls for round, childish handwriting. Then companies began to put cute characters on everything, and the style took hold. The most famous of these characters is Hello Kitty, created in 1974. But the urge goes everywhere. Banks, city governments and even the police and the army have their own cuddly mascot characters to look friendly. The culture prizes a special pleasure here, called iyashi (癒し). It is the calm, comforted feeling that cute things give you.

Today kawaii is one of Japan's best-known exports. You find it in anime and manga, in the street fashion of Tokyo's Harajuku district and in character goods. You also find it in yuru-kyara, the relaxed, goofy mascots of towns and products. Kawaii has its critics. They see the love of the childlike as a flight from adult life. It also has its defenders, who see a warm, playful and open spirit in it. Either way, its reach is clear. In Japan, cuteness is not only for children or private life. It is a respected public style. Companies, cities and adults use it to look friendly and kind.