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It's so Kawaii!

Apr 24, 08 Comments

Kawaii - an adjective in Japanese meaning "pretty; cute; lovely; charming; dear; darling"

Being cute - or kawaii - is a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, and behavior. Sometimes I find this cuteness intriguing and sometimes strange because the Japanese use it in many situations, even in more "serious" cases such as in government publications, office environments, military advertisements, commercial airliners, and many others.

But, as a cultural phenomenon, cuteness is increasingly accepted in Japan as a part of Japanese culture and national identity. Japan has a harmony-loving culture and "cute" is a "magic term" that encompasses everything that's acceptable and desirable in Japan.

Kawai can be also used to describe a specific fashion sense, and generally includes clothing that appears to be made for young children, outside of the size, or clothing that accentuates the cuteness of the individual wearing the clothing.

“Japanese women see value in youth and want to combine childishness and cuteness with sexiness and glamour,” says Sakae Nonomura, a researcher with the cosmetics company Kanebo. “Cute has now grown so widespread that various types of cute coexist.”

Indeed, Japanese have come up with nuances of cute such as “erotic-cute” and “grotesque-cute,” and use such phrases in everyday conversations.

Look anywhere and everywhere: Cartoon figures dangle from cell phones, waitresses bow in frilly maid outfits, cherries and bows adorn bags, even police departments boast cuddly mascots.

Some skeptics say Japan’s pursuit of cute is a sign of an infantile mentality and worry that Japanese culture may be headed toward doom.

“Japanese are seeking a spiritual peace and an escape from brutal reality through cute things,” said Tomoyuki Sugiyama, author of “Cool Japan.”

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