Photo: Sanrio
From island resorts and hotels to theme parks, restaurants and shinkansen, come meet Hello Kitty all across Japan
Written by Youka Nagase
Former editorial assistant at Time Out Tokyo
Contributor: Kaila Imada
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Japan is known for its kawaii culture, which is often associated with the country's countless cute characters and mascots, most notably Sanrio’s beloved Hello Kitty. Everyone is familiar with this adorable feline, known for her signature red bow on the left ear. You can find shops nationwide selling tote bags, stationery, homeware and cosmetics plastered with illustrations of Kitty. You can even enjoy Hello Kitty-shaped desserts and meals, too.
There are also plenty of attractions around Japan where you can revel in all things Hello Kitty, including theme parks, resorts and hotel rooms decorated with colourful Kitty motifs. This year in2024, as Hello Kitty is celebrating her50th anniversary, there are ahost of events,pop-upsand collaborations going on to commemorate the grand occasion.
Here are some places you can visit around Japan to enjoy a cutesy vacationwith Japan’s favourite cat-girl.
RECOMMENDED:Are you a Ghibli fan instead? Check out our Ghibli lover’s guide to Tokyo
Attractions
- Travel
Hello Kitty Smile is on Awaji Island in Hyogo prefecture, just across the bay from Osaka. It’s home to an underwater Hello Kitty princess-themed digital art exhibit with multiple interactive activities and a light show. Plus there are two shops where you can purchase exclusive merchandise including rare designer handbags and phone cases decked out with Hello Kitty. There are also four different restaurants serving dishes like dim sum and seafood barbecue on Hello Kitty plates, and some of the food is even Hello-Kitty-shaped.
Next door, you’ll find Hello Kitty Show Box, the perfect place to meet Kitty in person and watch a live musical performance by the cat and her friends. Don't miss the apple-shapedhousethat features a 360-degree projection mapping theatreand a spectacular observation deck.
- Attractions
- Theme parks
- Tama-Center
On the western outskirts of Tokyo in Tama-shi, Sanrio Puroland is about half an hour by train from Shinjuku Station. This theme park is dedicated to all things Sanrio, the company that created the patron saint of hypercuteness.
Attractions include a Hello Kitty musical, peeking into Hello Kitty’s house to see her go about her daily life, and of course the chance to meet the cat herself complete with great photo ops. As expected, the shops are extensive and they offer everything imaginable stamped with Kitty-chan’s likeness.
One of the more interesting offerings is the Hello Kitty mailbox, a working post-box that will affixcute Sanrio-themed postage to letters and postcards dropped into it and send them on their way.
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- Attractions
- Railways
While the main attractions at Sanrio Puroland are located within the theme park, you don’t even have to go inside to see plenty of Hello Kitty. You’ll get to enjoy adorable displays as soon as you arrive at Tama Center Station. The signs, vending machines, departure board, elevators and ceilings are decked out in Hello Kitty motifs along with other Sanrio characters including Pom Pom Purin, Little Twin Stars, My Melody and more.
- Ikebukuro
From Hello Kitty and Pochacco to Gudetama and My Melody, this character caféserves upcute dishes featuring your favourite Sanrio characters, available for eat-in and takeaway.
Here you can order hamburgers with your choice of character imprinted on the bun. You can also choose either beef with BBQ or Mexican sauce or a special shrimp patty. As for desserts, you can’t go wrong with the adorable and fluffy soufflé pancakes featuring Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Pompompurin or Cinnamoroll. The cute factor continues in the drinks menu: coffee is topped with colourful latte art while cream sodas come complete with ice cream shaped as your favourite characters.
Aside from the café, this Sanrio outlet also has a retail corner offering exclusive merchandise such as cutesy food-themed keychains, tote bags, file folders and more.
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- Shopping
- Asakusa
You can’t miss this Sanrio store with its facade of a giant Hello Kitty holding a red apple that forms the entrance. Inside you’ll find a host of Sanrio characters from the aforementioned kitty to Cinnamoroll, Gudetama, My Melody and others, available in all shapes and forms including plush dolls, apparel, suitcases and gift-ready snacks and sweets known as omiyage.
Since the store is located in Tokyo’s historical Asakusa neighbourhood, just around the corner from Sensoji Temple, the shop offers several unique items made in collaboration with local artisans, such as bags from Inujirushi Kaban, a long- established Japanese label known for its rugged canvas bags.
Hello Kitty Shinkansen, Shin-Osaka to Hakata
Japan’s most famous character, Hello Kitty takes over an entire shinkansen with its signature pink and white colours. The passenger car, also known as the ‘kawaii room’, is as adorable as it sounds, all decked out with Hello Kitty print.
There’s lots to explore on this train: in the other cars you’ll find small exhibitions, photography areas, souvenir kiosks and rest areas that are awash in pink and adorned with images of Hello Kitty and friends. This bullet train runs between Hakata and Shin-Osaka stations on the Kodama line (one round-trip per day, with some exceptions). Tickets are priced the same as the regular shinkansen plying that route.
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Most people know Tokyo’s Sanrio Puroland, but there’s also an outdoor Sanrio theme park in Oita prefecture. It has 16 character-themed attractions including roller coasters, a ferris wheel, go-karts, a tea cup ride, and even a gigantic pink Hello Kitty castle, where you’ll get to take a tour through her home. You’ll also have a chance to see the feline herself through meet-and-greets and live entertainment shows.
Don’t forget to visit one of the four eateries to dine on hamburg curry that comes with rice shaped like Hello Kitty, snack on a steamed bun shaped like Kitty’s face and drink lattes from an adorable Hello Kitty mug.
Hotels
- Things to do
- City Life
Asakusa Tobu Hotel, just around the corner from Sensoji Temple, offers two types of Hello Kitty rooms. Inspired by traditional Japanese culture, these pastel pink hotel rooms are perfect for a girls’ night in. The Sakura Tennyo hotel room is decked out in cherry-blossom pink shades. This girly room also has a zashiki tatami sitting area, completing the traditional Japanese aesthetic. For a modern twist, the Wa-Modern room combines sleek western style with a traditional Japanese sensibility for a maroon-decorated room with Hello Kitty in a fashionable kimono.
Hotel Ole, Shizuoka
Hotel Ole is the first hotel to have a Sanrio-themed room in the entire Tokai region. You can stay in a pink-coloured Ribbon Room decked out with pop art illustrations and motifs of Hello Kitty’s signature ribbon, or the Ole Town Room which has illustrations of the Fujieda cityscape featuring the city’s symbolic purple wisteria flowers. Pay attention to the details in this room – you’ll spot Hello Kitty designs on the lamps, pillows, bedding, mirror and even the soap dispenser. Exclusive Kitty amenities are available for purchase including a toothbrush set, ribbon-shaped water bottle, tote bagand much more.
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- Things to do
- City Life
Kyoto is not only famous for its many temples and shrines, but also for its historicalmachiyatraditional wooden merchants’ houses. Some have even been turned into hotels, combining the buildings’ classic ambience with modern creature comforts.
For those wholove old-school Japanese architecture as well as all things kawaii, opt for Resi Stay Nishiki’s adorableMaiko Hello Kitty Room. If you’re more of a fan of Kyoto’s green tea culture and traditional confectionery, then Resi Stay The Kyoto’s brand Tea House Hello Kitty room is your best choice.
In the Maiko Hello Kitty Room, you’ll find Hello Kitty’s signature ribbon on the floor and the beds’ headboards, while illustrations of the famous girl-cat can be found on the bedroom wall, the building’s original fusuma sliding doors – even inside the closet.
The Tea House Hello Kitty room, meanwhile,is inspired by Kyoto’s green tea culture.The round, latticed window above the beds lets you take a glimpse of Kitty clad in kimono, enjoying a cup of green tea and some Japanese confectionery.
No matter which room you book, you’ll get an original Hello Kitty tote bag to take home, too.
Hotel Vischio Amagasaki by Granvia, Hyogo
Hotel Vischio Amagasakijust outside Osaka transformed two of its rooms into shrines to Hello Kitty to celebrate the cat’s 45th anniversary in 2019. The Visquio Forest room is a pastel green colour, with illustrations of Kitty and her mother welcoming you inside. The Walk in Kansai room, on the other hand, is covered in pink with an illustration of Kansai mapped out on the wall. Both rooms have decorative pillows shaped like Hello Kitty’s ribbon and flowers, and even come with exclusive souvenirs like plushies, tote bags and stationery.
Explore Tokyo's kawaii culture
- Shopping
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