Hello Kitty & Kawaii

All of our hearts and minds are with those in Japan. It is unfathomable what they have been suffering. It is sometimes quite difficult to comprehend. We see the images on our television and computer screens. We hear the reports on the radio, podcasts, or other places online. Unless you are there, it is rather surreal. It may be really silly or stupid but one item of news that made it feel personal to me was the report that Yuko Yamaguchi, the creator of Hello Kitty had been killed in the earth quake. She has since updated her blog and is not only alive, but well. It all of a sudden felt real to me! I don't know Yuko. I've never even seen her in real life. But Hello Kitty has been a love of mine for years and years! I felt a sense of loss. I'm actually embarrassed to admit it. So many people have lost their lives and homes and everything they've owned and it was the possible death of Hello Kitty's creator that shook me.

I am a child at heart and in mind sometimes too. I am not alone. I'd like to honor the Japanese love of cuteness as it is something I love about Japan.

Since the 1970s, cuteness, in Japanese kawaisa (可愛さ^?) (literally, "lovability", "cuteness" or "adorableness"), has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms.^[1] It is also referred to as kawaii (literally, adorable, precious, lovable, or innocent^[2]). wikipedia.

There is a Wikipedia article titled Cuteness in Japanese culture!

Amigurumi - literally knitted stuffed toy, is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures.
Here are a few free patterns! 

Nuigurumi literally means 'sew and wrap' in Japanese - but refers to rag dolls and stuffed animals!

 There is of course origami, 

furoshiki 

I think I shall have to give Amigurumi a go in honor of the Japanese x