A presentation at the Aww-Struck: Creative and Critical Approaches to Cuteness online seminar, 21 May 2021.

People find baby animals to be cuter than human babies, according to a cross-cultural survey that I co-authored.

A presentation at the second East Asian Popular Culture Conference, Kyushu University, japan, January 12, 2021.

“The Complexity of Cute” podcast introduces a variety of perspectives on the study of cuteness.

Cute images are often used to tell people what to do in Japan. Public and government organizations rely on cute mascots to innocuously assert their authority.

In this painting, a rice paddle (spatula) dressed in a woman’s kimono dances with a cat.

Kyaraben, or character bento lunchboxes, incorporate food made to look like well-loved characters.

Thousands of beckoning cat figures adorn Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo.

Exhibitions on Japanese kawaii art.

What I saw at Anthrocon, one of the largest conventions of costumed furries and their fans

I met this smiling fox at the Zao Fox Village, a rare amusement park where you can wander amongst and even hold foxes.

In many parts of Japan, manhole covers adorned with cartoon or movie characters have become tourist attractions.

A small cafe on the back alley in Harajuku became a favorite of Twitter and Instagram users. There’s no wonder!