Hello Kitty turns 50 on Friday ... stems from a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes a lovable or adorable essence. Sanrio recruited Shimizu ...

A visitor looks at giant Hello Kitty display at the exhibition "As ... a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes a lovable or adorable essence.

Kitty’s popularity is emblematic of the global craze for cute things. In Japan the phenomenon, known as kawaii, dates back to at least the 17th century, when artists started producing miniatures ...