Only in Japan: When kawaii is commonplace

One of the biggest things I’ve noticed since living in Japan is just how prolific “kawaii” is in everyday life. Back home, cute things are mainly seen as for kids only, but here they are part of everyday life in many respects. Here are some of the way cute enters everyday life here.

Cute Theme Parks

Yes, you’ve got the big parks like Disneyland and DisneySea, and Universal Studios Japan...but there are also smaller theme parks which really push the cuteness quotient. I’ve been to both Sanrio Puroland in Tokyo, and Harmonyland in Oita, and if you like Hello Kitty or other Sanrio characters you’ll think these places are a ton of fun. The thing that is a real surprise about these places is that it's not just families with young children who visit – there have been plenty of adults sans kids on my visits.

Cute Food

Attention to detail is such a big thing here, and that extends to food preparation. I’ve been to a number of places where cute foods have been served up, from parfaits at maid cafes to breads at bakeries. Even the Niigata Aquarium makes their dishes cute, like this kids curry where the rice was shaped like a dolphin.

Cute transport

Using public transport back home is a fairly uninteresting affair, and nondescript train and tram carriages are par for the course. Here in Japan though, public transport manages to be a lot of fun. Along with being the cleanest and most punctual of any public transport system that I've used, a number of Japan's trains go all out with decorating the outsides – and sometimes the insides, too!

Cute photos

Purikura to me is like the original "face filter" experience. Yes, we can all use filters these days on apps like Snapchat and Instagram, but there's something fun about going to a photobooth and taking some fun snaps there. Automatic smoothed skin, wide eyes, long lashes, rosy cheeks and glossy lips mean you can look cute without needing to put in any effort whatsoever.

Cute construction barriers

I love how even the most mundane things here often have a dose of cute added to them. Back home, things like construction barriers are ultra bland, ultra functional things. Here, I've seen construction barriers with Hello Kitty, giraffes, and cute bunny rabbits to name just a few. How can anyone be mad about detours or diversions when they're looking at those?!

Cute Stores

Of course, there are stores in Japan completely dedicated to cute stuff, like Kiddyland in Omotesando. It's filled with plenty of toys, but also plenty of cute stuff geared towards adults, like business ties with Snoopy on them, or cell phone cases for all the Sanrio characters under the sun. It's not just kids that the cute stuff is marketed towards!

Even cute statues at shrines!

I’ve also seen many cute statues at shrines, and the most famous one is probably Tokyo's Gotokuji Temple. There are hundreds and hundreds of maneki neko (beckoning cat) statues filling the temple grounds, and it certainly feels much more cute than religious centers back home.