Kawaii is a major Japanese economic and cultural export that has drawn the attention of scholars around the world. Its diverse cultural forms, from music to art and literature, appeal to students and teachers alike. 

For this project, we have created multidisciplinary, open-access teaching resources that are diverse and accessible, including lesson plans, videos, and short essays. We aim to provide academic context and commentary within various critical theoretical frameworks, including gender and queer studies, in order to improve the higher education pedagogy on kawaii. In addition, in order to bridge the divide between academics and practitioners we have solicited content directly from members of diverse kawaii subcultures both in and outside Japan to allow them the power of self-representation.

Header photo credit: mayu ken

Project card photo credit: Jason Leung