Hello Kitty homeware display at Sanrio Gift Gate. Photo by Kawaii Gazette

If there’s one ubiquitous thing about Japan it’s Hello Kitty. She is everywhere and there is a cute themed Hello Kitty phone charm and hand towel for every location and occasion. Think I’m exaggerating? You can get a themed Kitty for each area of Tokyo, for every major city and tourist attraction in Japan, for every festival and holiday and for the most minor of tie-ins with community bus services and train lines.

For all things Hello Kitty there is the Sanrio Gift Gate in Ikebukuro where you can buy everything from a pencil to a sewing machine adorned with the face of Hello Kitty, as well as a small range of items featuring the rest of the gang (Shinkansen, Kurumi, Little Twin Stars, Cinnamoroll etc.).

Outside, with the enormous Kitty face peering down at you, there are Sanrio gashapon where you can pick up some Hello Kitty toys in Kitty head shaped capsules. Look out for special holiday items at the front of the store if it’s coming up to Christmas or Halloween.

Prices can be expensive so it’s one for the fans, or just for some window shopping. You do get a little free gift attached to your carrier bag though and they also do very pretty gift wrapping.

If you love Hello Kitty this is definitely worth a visit, but everyone else might want to steer clear, especially if you hate pink!

Hello Kitty gashapon. The cabbage keyring is also a torch.

Hello Kitty charm for a community bus service!

So much pink! Photo by Kawaii Gazette

Sanrio character bags. Photo by jiji~punch

How to get there

Sanrio Gift Gate is on the way to Sunshine City in Ikebukuro – see my post for directions and look out for Hello Kitty’s big face (above).

There are also many more Sanrio and Hello Kitty stores and franchises throughout Tokyo – see the Sanrio website for maps.

Last updated: 23 April 2011

[instore photos by Nicolette]

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All content in this blog post is by Marceline Smith, unless stated otherwise. Licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Posted by Marceline Smith on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 12:21 pm in Japan, Tokyo Shopping Guide.