'Hello Please': How cute characters guide your daily life in Japan!

If you have been reading this site on Thursdays you must have noticed that Japan likes to use characters be it from the animal or anime world on packaging, signs and in many other circumstances.

Hello_please

The paperback Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan by Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda (published by Chronicle Books, August 07) offers many illustrations on the topic and also helps us understand why they are used, where they come from and their connection to Japanese popular culture.

Kawaii could be translated as cute. Wikipedia offers some illustrations of Cuteness in Japanese Culture such as Pikachu characters on some All Nippon Airways jets.

The book came to my attention thanks to PingMag.

That's all for Tokyo Thursdays #20.

Last week: Fashion goes to the Dogs in Tokyo according to 'Putting on the Dog'

Related stories: In 'Japanamerica', Roland Kelts rides the New York-Tokyo Express

Previous Post

The Spa at the Airport: Be Relax: Free 'Light Therapy' in Paris until December 30th

Dec 27
If you fly to Paris between now and December 30th, you can treat yourself to a free 'light therapy' session courtesy of Be Relax. The sessions are offered "near boarding lounge E51 of Terminal 2E at Charles de Gaulle and near Gate R on the departures level of Orly’s West terminal are two dedicated light-therapy areas equipped with white-light emitting lamps, relaxation chairs, and a sound system playing soothing music". I learned this much from...
Next Post

From Alsace to Minervois...Marc Tempe's wine travels lead us to Domaine de Courbissac

Dec 28
A meeting between German film producer (and wine aficionado) Reinhard Brundig and Marc Tempe, an innovative winemaker from Alsace marked the beginning of a friendship. It led them in turn to look for the perfect place to produce great red wines. After scouting properties in Southern France, they purchased Domaine de Courbissac (Minervois) in 2002 where they use biodynamic methods. I recently bought their Domaine de Courbissac, Mivervois La Liviniere (2003). It is made of...

Comments