When customers walk into Kawaii Konbini, a Japanese convenience store in Longmont, they aren’t greeted with a typical “hello.” Instead, the owners welcome them with a friendly “irasshai!” That’s how ...

From Hello Kitty to Pikachu, the country changed what the world considers adorable. But do these characters represent joy — or rage? By Ligaya Mishan Artwork by Hiroshi YoshiiKimiaki Yaegashi and ...

Born from the trauma of World War II, this bow-wearing cartoon icon became a powerful tool for diplomacy, reinvention, and cultural soft power. Dressed in a kimono, Hello Kitty performs a classical ...