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Walking around major cities like Tokyo, you can easily find small cafes and restaurants with pastel tones, interiors decorated with ribbons, bows, and adorable cartoon characters in eye-catching colors. Even Japan's ancient bento lunchbox culture has branched out into a modern Kyaraben – Character bento, which includes lunchboxes shaped like cute cartoon characters. Throughout restaurants, bakeries, and cafes catering to young people, you can easily find Totoro-shaped choux cream pastries, Pikachu-shaped omurice, or puddings shaped like Pusheen, Moomin, and Hello Kitty...
The cuteness of coffee cups
As can be seen, "kawaii" food is a widely popular trend, regardless of age, from adults to children. This trend is likely a result of modernization combined with the long-standing tradition of "eating with your eyes" among the people of Japan.
Kawaii doesn't mean "cute".
Nowadays,kawaiiIt has become a catchphrase among Japanese teenagers.KaIt means possible,waiiIt means "love" - combined to form "adorable," "lovely," or "lovable." In traditional Japanese language, kawaii is often associated with images of cute animals or children - symbolizing the purest and most natural beauty in the Japanese psyche.
Because this term carries a long history and traditional Japanese meaning, although it is still understood as cute, lovely, and used as a compliment or exclamation, the word kawaii cannot be equated with words expressing cuteness in other languages. For example, people have often translated kawaii as "cute" or "lovely" in English; while this translation is not wrong, it does not fully capture the nuances and meaning of the word kawaii.
"Kawaii" is often associated with images of cute animals or children – symbols of the purest and most natural beauty.
Kawaii is gradually becoming popular globally and is becoming a cultural phenomenon and a distinctive aesthetic trend of the Japanese people. The explosion of kawaii culture is reflected in everyday language habits; when encountering any object, whether cute, beautiful, or impressive, the Japanese exclaim: Kawaii! In addition, everyday items such as cosmetics, technology, and fashion are adorned with bright, cheerful colors like pink, orange, and yellow, along with small but valuable details like lace and embroidery.
Products inspired by cute anime characters are selling at breakneck speeds, and artists with colorful doll-like images straight out of manga are enthusiastically loved by the public… reflecting the popularity of “kawaii” in modern Japanese life. Furthermore, the presence of cuteness in Japanese cuisine is proof that kawaii culture has permeated every aspect of Japanese society.
When did Japanese cuisine become "kawaii"?
The Japanese place the utmost importance on aesthetics in food presentation. In fact, the pleasure of seeing a visually appealing dish is sometimes just as important as enjoying its actual taste. Looking at the various requirements of Moritsuke (Japanese table setting art), one can see that the Japanese pay attention to the shape of the food, the colors and materials of the plates, and even the proportions of the space on the plate. This is perhaps the foundation for their later art of charming food presentation.
Amezaiku, a traditional Japanese sugar candy.
The concept of "kawaii" and its connection to food has been discussed in Japanese literature for a long time: about 1000 years ago, author Sei Shonagon wrote about the cuteness of food in his famous essay "Pillow Book," mentioning the adorable faces of children drawn on a watermelon. By the mid-Edo period (1603-1867), cuteness had begun to appear widely in food. Take Amezaiku, for example; it's just a street food, but the process of pulling and shaping the colorful candies into cute and beautiful shapes is what attracts crowds of onlookers.
After World War II, kawaii culture became more powerful and took on a clearer definition, with the emergence and development of manga, anime, and cartoon characters like Hello Kitty, Doraemon, Pikachu, etc. Kawaii culture spread throughout Japan, from mascots designed for each subway station to bento lunch boxes.
How could anyone bear to eat such adorable bento boxes?
Even wagashi, the quintessential Japanese dessert, embodies the characteristics of kawaii culture, primarily featuring whimsical plant shapes with soft designs and pastel colors that are both vibrant and delicate, making them adorable.
Furthermore, kawaii culture demonstrates a widespread influence, with a growing number of food and beverage establishments capitalizing on this trend. These include cute establishments with a unified theme, such as Hello Kitty cafes; fast-food chains featuring hundreds of popular fictional characters from Sanri; and cafes served by maids dressed in Lolita outfits with cheerful, high-pitched voices.
At Hello Kitty-themed cafes, you can see this character everywhere.
More than just a trend, it's a concept that emphasizes spiritual values.
Although Kawaii is a relatively new concept within modern popular culture, it possesses depth and complements existing values within the Japanese people. Japan is a country that loves beauty and can find it in almost anything, whether it's a barren sandy garden or a withered branch in the freezing winter (a sense of beauty stemming from pity for fragile things that don't last long). They believe that beauty can guide the human mind towards better things, and this aesthetic sensibility is deeply reflected in their food culture, from traditional to modern.
Love wrapped in pretty lunch boxes.
On the other hand, kawaii is also a way to express love, through mothers carefully trimming seaweed, cutting vegetables, and thinking about designing a cute lunchbox for their children so they can enjoy a meal even with dishes they don't like. It's also shown in the way girls meticulously make adorable chocolate candies on Valentine's Day to give to their crushes, boyfriends, or even friends and family.
Alongside a mindset always drawn to elegant and ephemeral beauty, Japanese culture in general, and cuisine in particular, also contains a vibrant, lovely, and lively flow of kawaii elements inspired by the joyful and pure lives of children. Undeniably, kawaii culture in cuisine plays a significant role in bringing youthful and innocent emotions away from the pressures of daily life.
