Project Launch: Kawaii in Japan & Beyond: Theory & Praxis

Japan Past & Present is pleased to announce the launch of the project Kawaii in Japan & Beyond: Theory & Praxis. In an age when popular culture and fashion are bringing more attention to Japan and Japanese culture than ever before, this project focuses on the creation of a variety of approachable, open-access teaching materials exploring the concept of kawaii (cuteness) in and beyond Japanese cultural contexts. Team members Joshua Paul Dale (Chūō University), Megan Catherine Rose (University of New South Wales), Erica Kanesaka (Emory University), Patrick W. Galbraith (Senshū University), and Georgia Thomas-Parr (University College London) have produced lesson plans, short essays, video interviews, and other resources that investigate kawaii in relation to issues such as gender, sexuality, and race while highlighting the first-person experiences of those engaging with cute aesthetics. 

The Kawaii in Japan & Beyond team would like to express their gratitude for support from the Global Kawaii Association, the Atlanta Lolita Community, and the many people who kindly agreed to be interviewed as part of this project

To explore the Kawaii in Japan & Beyond project, click here.