Kawaii is a Japanese word meaning "cute, adorable".
Originating in Japan, this philosophy has gradually conquered the world, with its focus on happiness, joy and kindness. Whether in food, fashion or decoration, kawaii is becoming increasingly popular. It's all about pastel colours, cute little animals, big eyes and so on.
The word Kawaii was born at the beginning of the 20th century and gradually became an integral part of Japanese culture.
The popularity of Kawaii spread beyond Japan's borders in the early 1970s with the birth of the kawaii icon Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty is the iconic Sanrio character. She embodies values such as friendship, kindness and simplicity. Even today, Hello Kitty remains an iconic character in Kawaii culture. There's even an amusement park dedicated to her in Japan!
The Kawaii aesthetic encompasses many features, although there tends to be common markers such as rainbows, unicorns, cats and clouds, all in pastel colours.
In pop culture, the arrival of Pokémon, and the introduction on streaming platforms of Totoro and other characters from Studio Ghibli films, have made the kawaii style popular and familiar to the general public.
In a world that is experiencing one crisis after another, kawaii offers a philosophy that emphasises joy, kindness and the celebration of the little things that bring happiness.
The development of manga and various anime series have helped to spread this trend in our countries.
At hopono, we have a wide range of kawaii products for you to choose from.
After a cup of tea, or even a hot chocolate in your super kawaii Cat mug, what could be nicer than heading off to school with some super cute pens and notebooks featuring cats or unicorns? It's sure to put you in a good mood all day long!
As you can see, kawaii is everywhere, inspired by anime and Japan, but not exclusively.
Now it's your turn to play and discover the products that bring you happiness.
And try typing Kawaii into a search engine. You won't be disappointed!
Julie G.
