One of the highlights of my recent Japan trip was visiting the amazing retrospective on Rune Naito at the Kobe Fashion Museum, running from April 8, 2023, through June 25, 2023. This exhibit celebrating 70 years since his debut, offers a comprehensive look at Rune’s extensive career, starting from his magazine illustrations in the 1950s and spanning all the way to his oil paintings from the 2000s. It is truly a must-see for anyone interested in the history of kawaii.
In honor of the recent birth of twin panda babies at the Ueno zoo on June 23, 2021, today’s post will explore the history of these cute and cuddly animals in kawaii art! Pandas burst into the kawaii world in the early 1970s. As with many kawaii trends, the initial panda boom in Japan can be attributed to kawaii pioneer, Naito Rune.
With their bright red color and adorable heart shape, it’s no surprise that strawberries are one of the most popular kawaii motifs! The use of strawberries, called ichigo in Japanese, in kawaii art goes way back, starting with the godfather of kawaii himself, Yumeji Takahisa.
If you have ever been in a Japanese bookstore, you have probably noticed magazines bundled thick with various freebies ranging from simple stationery items to things like hair accessories, bento bags, and even passport cases! These free gifts, called furoku in Japanese, are commonly included with manga magazines and magazines for girls and women. I remember the first time I saw this was while living in Japan in the mid-aughts and assumed this custom was a more recent phenomenon as print was trying to compete with online content. However, I was quite surprised to discover that this custom of including furoku with a magazine purchase actually dates back to the late 1800s, and furoku have been included with Shojo magazines since their debut back in 1902!