I went to the Hello Kitty exhibition! The 50 years of history was overwhelming.

January 8, 2025

Wherever you look, there's Kitty everywhere

I went to see the "Hello Kitty Exhibition: When I Change, Kitty Changes" at the Hyokeikan Tokyo National Museum . This is a special exhibition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty's debut.

To be honest, I was interested, but I wasn't sure. I was a little worried that it would only be fun for people who really love Hello Kitty. But when I went, I was like, "Ah, this is it! I remember that!" and it was a very uplifting exhibition, bringing back memories from my childhood.

I'll be honest, I had a lot of Hello Kitty stationery when I was a child, so I went in wondering if I would have any pencils from that time.

It's no wonder that this character has remained popular throughout the half century and is loved all over the world. People of all ages came to visit.

This time, I will write about the state of the venue and the goods I bought. Well, about the goods... well, I'll write about them later.

The cute Hello Kitty welcomes you right away

Hello Kitty is enshrined just inside the gate of the venue, the Tokyo National Museum.

I was in line 50 minutes before the gates opened, and just at that moment a group of high school students, perhaps on a school trip or field trip, passed by nearby. When they spotted this giant Hello Kitty from outside the gates, many of the girls exclaimed, "How cute!"

(As an aside, I was in line early and was near the gate, so I got to see Hello Kitty inflate. It's normal for air to be pumped into it, but I felt lucky to have come across such a surreal scene.)

When we finished watching the show and left the venue, the place had become a photo spot for the high school students. It was a heartwarming scene.

The Tokyo National Museum has several buildings, one of which, Hyokeikan, is the venue for the "Hello Kitty Exhibition." This photo was taken a few minutes before the museum opened. There were still no people in sight. It was an elaborate welcoming display.

The first stuffed toy on display on the floor. It was first released in October 1975, the year after Hello Kitty was born in Sanrio's planning room. It cost 1,750 yen at the time. It sold out almost immediately.

Afterwards, a huge number of goods were displayed like this, sorted by age and type. It was overwhelming. And I was lost in memories, thinking, "I've seen this before! I remember a kid having one."

This is the tartan Hello Kitty section. The document written in English on the top right is the Tartan Hello Kitty certification issued by a Scottish certification body.

Tartan originated in Scotland, and is also registered and managed by the Scottish government.

By the way, do you know the character settings of Hello Kitty? Of course, if you're a fan, you probably know them.

Let me introduce it again...

Name: Kitty White. Born in London, England.

Height: 5 apples.

Weight: 3 apples.

Our family consists of four people: my dad, my mom, and my younger sister, Mimmy.

Hobbies: Making cookies.

Dream: To be a pianist.

(Reference: Hello Kitty Book, published in 2011)

I guess characters do have character settings. I didn't know she had a name. I've called her Kitty since I was a child, so I didn't know she had a surname... I learned something new.

The pink Hello Kitty that became popular in the 90s. Many people may remember this.

During this time, Hello Kitty's popularity soared and she became a fashion icon. (Sorry, there were so many people that I couldn't take a photo from the front.)

On display in this case are merchandise from shortly after their debut.

You can see a finger in the bottom right corner of the image. This person pointed to the lunchbox and said happily, "I had that lunch box!" I couldn't help but respond, and said, "Ah! Everyone had one of those. I remember back then."

The two strangers laughed together in a friendly atmosphere.

This is the kind of thing that happens in this exhibition. There are so many items on display from different eras that it somehow fits the memories of each person who visits the venue.

I feel that the appeal of Hello Kitty has changed over the 50 years and with each passing year, and that this is due to the efforts of the Sanrio designers and other people who have created her.

These are also exhibits in cases. They are TVs, hairdryers, and telephones (not cell phones) that were released in the 1980s. The red rectangular object on the far right is not a cell phone. It is an electronic desk calculator, or calculator for short.

I had no idea there were televisions or telephones.

Next was the special color series to commemorate the 35th anniversary. Five colors were available: red, yellow, pink, green, and purple (lavender).

The yellow color conveys the message of "compassion" and the lavender color conveys the message of "kindness."

Next up was the collaboration corner, where various collaboration goods with various characters and companies were on display.

There was also a collaboration with Gundam . The frame (runner) that holds the parts frames Kitty, which is really intricate. I really want this.

There will also be a collaborative exhibit that is unique to the Tokyo venue, such as this ukiyo-e print.

Hello Kitty appears in Hokusai Katsushika's "Under the Great Wave off Kanagawa." Can you spot her?

The one rowing the boat is Kitty. We also enjoyed the special collaborative exhibits unique to the National Museum, such as the <<Beautiful Woman Looking Back>> and <<Wind God and Thunder God>> .

And of course there are a lot of "Local Kitty" exhibits in collaboration with famous places and places of scenic beauty all over Japan! That means there are multiple Kittys in each prefecture!

For example, Aichi Prefecture has about four: Shachihoko, Nagoya Castle, Gon the Fox, and Himedaruma. So, the total number is huge across the country.

There were also many special illustrations incorporating Hello Kitty created by many illustrators specifically for this "Hello Kitty Exhibition."

Works by Kosuke Suda

A total of 30 illustrators participated, including Killdisco's work. Each one depicted Hello Kitty in their own unique style, making for a truly impressive space.

This was inside the venue.

It took about two hours to view the exhibits and shop at the merchandise store. I left just before noon, and there were already a lot of customers there.

Farewell to the Hello Kitty Exhibition! It was so much fun!

My impression after viewing the exhibit was that I honestly had a great time. I also felt a bit excited. I think it was an exhibition that allowed me to come face to face with forgotten memories.

I really felt that Hello Kitty is a character that changes to suit each person, empathizing with them.

Introduction of purchased goods

Well, I expected it, but a lot of things were sold out at the Tokyo venue. The goods you want may have been sold out too.

Also, the time limit for shopping was only 10 minutes , so I became extremely anxious.

We don't know what the state of the planned venues will be in the future.

So let's start with this.

Official catalog for the "Hello Kitty Exhibition: When I Change, Kitty Changes" exhibition. It's very elaborately made. Two small ribbon-shaped stickers are included inside. It's a bit pricey at 4,400 yen.

This is a red checked shoulder bag. 1650 yen.

Knitted sacoche in a muted color. Price: 4,620 yen!

This is a bag charm. 1,793 yen. I think how you use it depends on your imagination. It's sparkly and cute.

A badge of a beautiful woman looking back. 660 yen. I think there were other clear files lined up as merchandise in collaboration with the Tokyo National Museum.

Clear mascot strap 418 yen.

Face-shaped mascot holder pink 990 yen

Two of the 17 random badges from the Hello Kitty Exhibition. The Sanrio characters are subtly decorated with Hello Kitty ribbons, which is a nice touch. 550 yen each.

That's all for the goods I got. I regret that if I had gone earlier, I wouldn't have been able to buy some secret items. I'll try again when the event is held in Nagoya.

References

・"Hello Kitty Exhibition: When I Change, Kitty Changes" Official Catalogue, edited by Mana Takemura, TM Entertainment Co., Ltd., 2024

・"Hello Kitty Book", Kodansha, 2011

Upcoming tours

The "Hello Kitty Exhibition: When I Change, Kitty Changes" will be held at the Tokyo National Museum Hyokeikan until Monday, February 24, 2025. After that, it will tour around the country.

Okinawa: Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum: Friday, March 7th to Sunday, May 11th, 2025.

Kyoto: Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto City, Higashiyama Cube, September 25th (Thursday) to December 7th (Sunday), 2025.

Further schedules in Nagoya and Fukuoka are coming soon.

This is an exhibition where people of all ages can experience the history of characters that are popular not only in Japan but all over the world, and can enjoy comparing it to their own experiences.