You can trace the word “kawaii” all the way back to the start of the 11th century, when an early form of it, “kawayushi,” which at the time translated more to “having pitiable qualities,” appeared in ...

“I don’t think it’s to appear to be healthy, it’s purely a style statement,” Tokyo-based French fashion designer Julien David said of activewear’s rise in the country. “The biggest shift in Kawaii is ...

This year has been anything but cute. It’s been occasionally optimistic, but mostly unpredictable, tumultuous, and painful. But cute? Far from it. Enter the timeline cleanse. You may have seen them: ...

Ahead of their forthcoming self-titled album, CHAI have shared a new track called “NEO KAWAII, K?,” following the project’s previously released singles, “We The Female!” and “PARA PARA.” The Japanese ...

With digital overload and constant stress dominating life, soft colours and whimsical objects work like visual therapy. That’s what Kawaii interiors aims to do. When GS Shruti (@shrustudies), a ...

If you’ve heard anything about Japan, you’ve probably heard about Harajuku, the Tokyo fashion hub for anything cute and zany. Characterized by bright colors and kawaii characters, like singer Kyary ...

It’s all there in the name: Pink Kawaii Café takes all the pop imagery, pastel colours and cuteness Japan has to offer and blends them into a sugary fairytale vision in café form. Every order gets an ...

Simply sign up to the Life & Arts myFT Digest -- delivered directly to your inbox. In the late 1970s, British inventor James Dyson painstakingly refined his design for a new, improved vacuum cleaner.

It’s no secret that Japan is seriously into cuteness. Accordingly, in most situations, deeming something kawaii, or cute, is seen as high praise. This is especially true when it comes to women.

Alongside "photobomb", one of the new words added to the Collins English dictionary this week was "kawaii". Yet unlike photobomb, selfie or onesie, you're unlikely to know what kawaii means unless you ...