Kawaii is probably one of the first words a foreigner will learn when s/he comes to Japan. At first, the concept of kawaii might be strange, but like all the new things about Japan it sparks curiosities, which lead me to investigate the “culture of cuteness” in Japan.
Kawaisa (cuteness) often reflects imagery of immaturity, carelessness and weakness—imagery “naturally” tied to women (especially young women). Manga and anime female characters are an epitome of this reflecting in the daily lives of the Japanese, regardless of age and even gender. Kawaisa is, thus a conscious attempt to construct visuals that people could relate to personally. Does this mean then that all Japanese girls act like infants or are immature? I'd like to think otherwise, but if the Japanese are trying to be cute by upholding these images... what else are we to think?
One of the most famous icons of Japanese popular culture that compels the interest of being cute is Hello Kitty! Literally inescapable, Hello Kitty! or Kitty-chan in Japanese has crept her way onto pretty much everything from shoes to guitars, and bento boxes to cell phone straps. Japan's obsession with all things cute propelled this character, which was once merely a picture on a 240 yen coin purse, into a multibillion dollar global franchise.
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The phenomenon of kawaii is not just limited to media, but has ultimately found its way in fashion as well. In the West, it is common for women who dress outside of the “norm” to be ridiculed for it. On the contrary, the youth of Japan are able to express themselves more freely through the clothes and accessories they wear. Unlike Canada, it is virtually acceptable in Japan to dress however you want.
These two girls, who were kind enough to pose for me at the Yodoyabashi train station are a perfect model for cuteness in Japan. There are many different trends in Japan that all belong in the pop culture scene. Regardless, it seems that the majority will always follow the latest trends. In Japan, I believe the concept of cuteness in everyday fashion is vanishing as a mere trend and is evolving into somewhat of a tradition.
Are you a Hello Kitty Junkie too? Then you would know that Sanrio is the company behind Hello Kitty's design, which as slightly changed over the years.
1 comment:
Too cute!
Here's a good source for Kitty-chan and the culture of cuteness:
2003 Belson, Ken and Bremmer, Brian.
Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio and the Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon, John Wiley & Sons.
We'll be dealing with this in globalization class soon.
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