Kawaii Girl Holding Her Kitten

About this drawing

A kawaii girl and kitten are a perfect example of a word that traveled around the world from Japan. Kawaii means something like cute or adorable, and it has become a whole style, full of giant eyes, round shapes and sweet faces. You can find it on toys, clothes and cartoons, and cats are among its biggest stars.

Japan's fondness for cats goes back a long way. They likely arrived from China by ship many centuries ago, helping to protect Buddhist scrolls from hungry mice. Later, they guarded silkworms as well. For a time, cats were treasured pets of the nobility.

You have probably seen the most famous one. The maneki-neko is the smiling cat figure with a raised paw that often sits in shops and restaurants. Its name means beckoning cat, and it is said to bring good luck and customers. It looks like it is waving, but in Japan that gesture means come here.

The country even has places known for their cats. On tiny Tashirojima, sometimes called Cat Island, the furry residents are the main attraction, and there is a small shrine in their honor. Cat cafes became popular in Japanese cities too. Old folk tales go further, with magical shape-shifting cats called bakeneko that could cause all sorts of trouble.

• kawaii
• kitten
• girl
• japan