A place for all things kawaii and cute

Rilakkuma Sticker Sacks

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Jen

I have quite a few Rilakkuma sticker flakes in my collection. Most of them are the common ones – Rilakkuma and strawberries, Rilakkuma bath time etc. I thought though that you might like to see some of the rarer Rilakkuma sticker sacks in my collection.

The first is a standard Rilakkuma sticker sack released by San-X in 2004. I haven’t actually opened it, but I believe there are 20 different designs inside.

The next two sticker sacks aren’t as old. The one on the left was released under license by Sun Hing Toys in Hong Kong and I think the one on the right was given away with a magazine in 2010.

All the flakes in the one on the right are the same shape – the shape of Rilakkuma’s head. They are a bit like Mickey Mouse ears, but the face is wider to look more like a bear. There are different scenes printed on each flake.

It’s a little hard to tell what the designs are in the pink sticker sack as again, I haven’t opened it. I believe there are ten different designs though and many seem to feature Rilakkuma or Korilakkuma with a blanket.

I think this next sticker sack was also given away with a magazine. It is dated 2011 and comes with a fold-out cardboard box.

This is one of my favourite Rilakkuma sticker sacks as I love it when Rilakkuma and his friends are given bunny ears. They are just too cute!

The next sticker sack is actually a cute little Rilakkuma tin with sticker flakes inside. The tin features Rilakkuma and his friends enjoying a meal.

There appears to be six different designs of sticker flakes inside (two of them are shiny). Some appear to follow the theme of the tin, but others do not. There is no date on the tin, so I am not sure when it was released.

I quite like sticker flakes coming in little tins, but I’m not sure what I think of them coming in jelly cups.

While the stickers inside look really cute, I can’t look at them closely without completely ruining the packaging. I am not sure if I will ever open these. I’m not sure when or where they were released either.

I do have one jelly cup I can open though as it has a proper lid.

There are five different sticker flakes designs inside (two of each) as well as a big plastic sticker. They are not dated, so I am not sure when they were released either.

I’m very lucky to have found these Rilakkuma sticker sacks over the years. All of them came from collectors down sizing their collections. I wonder how many more I am still missing from my collection. 🙂

Panda Cookies

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Jen

These adorable kawaii panda cookies are another of the cute snacks I brought back from Japan last year. Up until now, I thought they were just too cute to eat. But, since they were approaching their expiry date, I thought it was time to open them up.

The label on the front of the box reads ‘sakusaku panda’ which I believe means ‘Crunchy Panda.’

As you can see from the box, the cookies inside look like pandas with different expressions on their faces. The back of the box shows more of the expressions you might find inside.

When I finally opened up the box, I found even more pandas staring back at me!

The packaging I saw when I first opened the box was actually the back of the plastic bag containing the cookies. The front is even cuter! I love the panda buildings!

Finally, we get to the sweet stuff inside…the actual cookies themselves. This is what was looking up at me when I opened up the bag.

This is just me playing around with them for a cute photo. Lol.

These are all the expressions I got in my packet. Sadly I didn’t get all of them. I had hoped for some with the star eyes, but unfortunately, it was not to be. Maybe next time!

The back of each cookie is just as cute as the front. This is where you can see the actual cookie component.

These panda cookies aren’t just cute…they taste delicious too. I really like the cookie part. The chocolate is pretty weak, but standard for most cheap chocolate snacks from Japan. I don’t think they use much cocoa. The chocolate is much creamier than chocolate I would buy here and not as sweet. I probably wouldn’t like the chocolate on it’s own, but it goes really well with the cookie.

If you ever get a chance to try these panda cookies, I recommend them. I think you can even get pink and white ones with a hint of strawberry flavouring. Yum! 🙂

Posted in Cute Food, Japan | Tagged Chocolate, Cookies, Cute Food, Japan, Japanese Candy, Japanese Snacks, Panda Cookies, Pandas | 2 Comments

Disney In Kyoto

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Jen

Regional Hello Kitty goods are abundant in Japan. Everywhere you go, there seems to be Hello Kitty memo pads, phone accessories or towels. And, I love it! But, what about Disney? Regional Disney goods are few and far between so I was thrilled when I found this set of three mini memos pads featuring Mickey Mouse and Friends at Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion). Disney has been visiting Kyoto!

They are part of a ‘Disney On Tour’ collection of goods released throughout Japan. Sadly, I haven’t seen anything else released from this range.

The first memo pad features Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto. Both are wearing traditional Japanese attire. Minnie Mouse looks so cute with her red parasol and purple flowers on her head

Goofy and Pluto star on the second memo pad. Goofy is pulling a rickshaw while Pluto appears to be climbing Kinkaku-ji.

The final memo pad features Donald and Daisy Duck. This would be my favourite design, except I wish they were both smiling a bit more. I love Daisy’s kimono (purple is my favourite colour!).

It’s always nice to see Disney adapting a Japanese look. I hope they do more of it in the future. Strangely enough, I purchased these Disney memo pads at the gift shop at Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion), not at Kinkaku-ji. I guess you never know what you might find when you go shopping in Japan! 🙂

I hope you think these are as cute as I do. I’d love to hear which Disney in Kyoto memo pad is your favourite. Please leave a comment below and let me know.

Posted in Japan, Tokyo Disney | Tagged Daisy Duck, Disney, Donald Duck, Ginkaku-ji, Golden Pavilion, Goofy, Japan, Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto, Memo Pad, Memos, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Silver Pavilion | 6 Comments

Sheena’s Hello Kitty Collection

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Jen

I have always been a big collector of one thing or another and I enjoy sharing those collections with others. But, I also love to look at collections other people have built up and the treasures that they have found over the years. So, today, I’m excited to introduce you to Sheena from Hello Kitty Limited. I’ve been following Sheena for awhile now and she has been very kind to give us a sneak peak into her amazing Hello Kitty collection.

I also asked Sheena a few questions about her collection. These are her answers:

1. How did you first discover Hello Kitty?

My husband would give me plush while we were dating.

2. When did you start collecting Hello Kitty?

2009

3. What is the main focus of your collection?

I like to collect limited edition and collaborations with Hello Kitty. I prefer plush but will collect other things.

4. What are your favourite items in your collection?

My favourite Hello Kitty item is my Tiffany & Co Hello Kitty wallet because it’s rare and hard to find.

5. Do any of the items in your collection hold special meaning or memories for you?

My Hello Kitty Sanrio store name tag holds a special place in my heart because I was lucky enough to work for Hello Kitty.

6. What do you love most about collecting Hello Kitty?

What I love most about collecting Hello Kitty is that it’s a never-ending hobby.

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Thank you so much Sheena for sharing your Hello Kitty collection with us. So much cuteness! I especially love the Hello Kitty plush with the pink cheeks. 🙂 I look forward to seeing more of your Hello Kitty finds on your blog. If you’d like to follow Sheena’s Hello Kitty Limited blog too, please visit her at: http://hellokittylimited.blogspot.com

And, as always, please pin her adorable Hello Kitty pictures to Pinterest.

Posted in Hello Kitty | Tagged Collection, Hello Kitty, Hello Kitty Plush, Kawaii, Sanrio | Leave a comment

Hello Kitty Kimono Memo Pads

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Jen

My favourite Hello Kitty memo pads are those that are released only in Japan. Most of these are regional releases and tend to feature Hello Kitty either dressed in a kimono in a Japanese setting or dressed as a mascot representative of a particular area of Japan. I love them all!

In my last post, I showed you the two Hello Kitty memo pads that I purchased at Hello Kitty Koubou in Kyoto:

These are two of the most beautiful Hello Kitty memos that I have in my collection and I thought you might like to see the pages inside.

I’ll start with the black memo. Inside, there are two designs, both featuring Hello Kitty dressed in a red kimono. The first design has a pink cherry blossoms background:

The second design is my favourite. It features a sakura tree in full bloom as well as lots of sakura blossoms.

The pink memo pad is very similar to the black one. It also features Hello Kitty dressed in a kimono, but this time it is maroon in colour. There are also two designs inside. The first features Hello Kitty against a background of cherry blossoms:

Sakura are also featured prominently in the second design, only this time they are set against a maroon background.

I’d love to know which Hello Kitty memo is your favourite! Please leave a comment in the comments box below.

Posted in Hello Kitty, Kawaii Stationery | Tagged Hello Kitty, Japan, Kawaii, Memo Pad, Memos, Sanrio | Leave a comment

The Cutest Hello Kitty Shop In Kyoto

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Jen

I have visited a lot of cute kawaii shops all over Japan, but there is one store that stands out from them all – Hello Kitty Koubou in Kyoto. It is the cutest, most authentic Japanese Sanrio store I have ever had the pleasure to visit. It’s an experience in itself.

From the outside, it just looks like a regular Japanese home in a regular residential street. In fact, if you didn’t know it was there, you would probably walk right past it, unaware of the treasures that lie within.

The first indication that Hello Kitty is nearby is an elegant banner on the outside of the building. It is not the usual girly pinks and purples but instead, is a sophisticated Japanese-style design.

As you approach the door, you will also find a beautiful Hello Kitty statue waiting to greet you.

When you enter, you will find yourself in a small entryway. Here, you will be required to remove your shoes. There is plenty of space to sit if you need it and a place to store your shoes while you shop.

Once you have removed your shoes, you can step up into the cutest Hello Kitty shop in Kyoto.

Hello Kitty Koubou has a very traditional interior with lots of woodwork and even tatami mats on the floor. It is a beautiful and fascinating store to walk around, even if you aren’t interested in Hello Kitty as it offers a unique look at Japanese styling and how it is incorporated into every day life. Please be careful though – there are one or two low beams, especially when you move from one room to the other, so please do not bang your head.

I believe Hello Kitty Koubou translates to Hello Kitty Workshop. This is an accurate description. The store has a special license with Sanrio that allows them to produce beautiful Japanese-style Hello Kitty fabrics. They then use these fabrics to make many of the products they offer in their store. In fact, when I visited, there was a lady sitting behind the counter sewing while she waited to serve a customer. This means that almost all the items you can purchase here have a special hand-made touch and that you can’t buy them anywhere else.

There are two rooms to explore and believe me, I walked around both of them several times trying to decide what to purchase. And it wasn’t an easy decision. Everything is so beautiful and so adorably cute!

One of their most popular lines seems to be their collection of Hello Kitty plush dressed in kimonos. Their heads seem a little smaller than those you find on other Hello Kitty plush. It makes them look more mature and sophisticated.

I love these plush! I soooooo wish I had bought one! Or one of these:

Aren’t they just gorgeous!

I did buy a pencil case though. Mine was falling apart so I took this opportunity to purchase a new one. I chose one of the blue ones:

They also offer a wide range of bags. They come in lots of different styles and designs. I really don’t know how you are supposed to choose. I wanted to buy them all! Lol.

I nearly bought one of these bags (the black and purple one), but sadly, that’s another thing I had to leave behind.

Of course, if you want something a bit smaller than a bag, they have plenty of purses and wallets for you to choose from too:

Or hair accessories:

And anything else you can think of that can be made with fabric.

They even have a little section by the counter where you can buy small gifts like Hello Kitty memo pads and phone accessories.

I really do think Hello Kitty Koubou is the cutest Hello Kitty shop in Kyoto. I took a VERY long time to decide what to buy here. I wanted a little souvenir with each of my favourite fabrics. The problem was, I was in love with too many of their fabrics! Lol.

In the end, I decided on the blue pencil case I mentioned above and this little selection of goodies:

It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the scrunchie really does have Hello Kitty on it.

I did purchase two Hello Kitty memo pads too. I can’t resist Japanese-style Hello Kitty stationery. 🙂

Hello Kitty Koubou is within walking distance of Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion). After leaving Ginkaku-ji, return to the start of the Philosopher’s Path. Instead of turning down the path, go straight ahead, keeping the canal on your right. When you reach another canal running perpendicular to the first, turn left. Hello Kitty Koubou is a little way down this street on your left. Look out for the Hello Kitty banner and the statue at the door.

Map from Google Maps

If you are in Kyoto, please pay a visit to Hello Kitty Koubou. It is the most unique Sanrio shopping experience I have ever had in Japan and I really do think it is the cutest Hello Kitty shop in Kyoto. If you do visit, please let me know. I’d love to hear about your experiences.

And if you love this shop as much as I do, please pin these images to Pinterest.

Posted in Hello Kitty, Japan | Tagged Ginkaku-ji, Hello Kitty, Japan, Kawaii, Kawaii Shop, Kyoto, Memo Pad, Memos, Sanrio, Sanrio Shop, Silver Pavilion | 8 Comments

Rilakkuma Squishies

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Jen

Since Faith shared her wonderful Rilakkuma collection with us, I thought I might show you a tiny part of my own Rilakkuma collection – two Rilakkuma strawberry squishies.

In reality, my Rilakkuma collection is quite small. I have plenty of Rilakkuma letter sets and stickers but not much else. I spend too much money on other things to afford more Rilakkuma. 🙂

But, these two little squishies are a special part of my collection. They were only available from San-X Gachapon machines in Japan last year and were a gift from my very sweet friend, Ellen. For those of you who don’t know, Ellen and I met up in Tokyo last year and had a lot of fun shopping for kawaii together. These came from some of our exploits. 🙂

Both squishie bears have cute little bunny rabbit hoods and both are holding a strawberry. For some reason, Rilakkuma is a lot squishier than Korilakkuma. Both have an elastic band so I can attach them to a bag or hang them on a hook. I haven’t quite found the perfect spot for them yet but I’m very happy to have them in my collection. Thanks so much Ellen!

Do you have any favourite Rilakkuma items in your collection? If so, I’d love to hear about them. Please leave a comment below or drop me an email through my contact page. And, please pin my Rilakkuma squishes to Pinterest.

Posted in San-X | Tagged Kawaii, Korilakkuma, Rilakkuma, San-X, Squishie | 4 Comments

Faith’s Rilakkuma Plushie Collection

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Jen

Today I have something a little bit special for you. Faith, from Rilakkuma Lifestyle has agreed to share a little of her amazing Rilakkuma collection with you. I stumbled across Faith’s blog several months ago and have been oohing and ahhing over her Rilakkuma plushies ever since. 🙂

I asked Faith a few questions about her collection. These are her answers:

1. How did you first discover Rilakkuma?

I discovered Rilakkuma around the time I graduated from college in 2012 – I was working on a tough final paper and my sister linked me to a super cute video clip of Rilakkuma! Something featuring a Bonjour Rilakkuma meet & greet like:

Since I was so stressed out with my schoolwork back then, seeing Rilakkuma so relaxed and happy was just what I needed to push through my final paper! Afterwards, I asked my sister to get me a Rilakkuma plushie as a graduation gift and I’ve been obsessed ever since!

2. When did you start collecting Rilakkuma?

For the first few months, my first Rilakkuma plushie was the only one I had! I didn’t know there was a whole world of Rilakkuma plushies out there yet, so it actually wasn’t until my family went to Maido (a San-X carrier in San Francisco) in the summer of 2012 that I started looking more into the different Rilakkuma designs and collectible plushies. It was actually my older brother who purchased the first collectible 22cm Rilakkuma plushie – a handsome Marine Series Rilakkuma! After that, I started doing more and more research on Rilakkuma plushie history and authenticity.

3. What is the main focus of your collection?

Though I do have other Rilakkuma merchandise like books and pizza cutters, I mainly collect plushies, and generally only the standard 22 cm size – but even then, I am rather picky about which plushies to get, so I don’t try to buy every Rilakkuma series out there, just the ones I’m really drawn to. A lot of readers have noticed that many of my Rilakkumas are food related haha, so I suppose that’s a focus of mine too. What can I say? Rilakkuma loves to eat just like me!

Most recently, I’ve been really interested in getting the older series that were released before I even knew who Rilakkuma was, such as the Bonjour Series! Also, I really love getting the special editions like the Rilakkuma Store Exclusives/Anniversaries and Caravan designs, but I do think each plushie is lovely in its own way! I really love collaboration items too, such as the Mister Donut, Yamanote line, and Lawson plushies.

4. What are your favourite items in your collection?

I think my first Rilakkuma plushie will always have a special place in my heart. I spend the most amount of time with him, and you can see him in the majority of the photos on my Rilakkuma Lifestyle tumblr: http://rilakkumalifestyle.tumblr.com/

I even take him with me when running errands sometimes (it’s nice to have the company).

5. Do any of the items in your collection hold special meaning or memories for you?

Each plushie represents a different part of my life, and each one has its own story!

For example, Sandwich Rilakkuma (the Rilakkuma Store Exclusive plushie from the Bonjour Series) was a plushie I had wanted since I first started researching Rilakkuma back in 2012. Since that plushie came out in 2010, it’s pretty difficult to find nowadays. I had to diligently check the Japanese auctions for months before I finally won one for myself – one of my proudest victories!

Also, I have 2 plushies from the Yamanote Line x Rilakkuma collaboration: the fan and the stationmaster. These plushies both mean a ton to me not only because riding the Yamanote line was something I clearly remembered from my time in Tokyo, but because I got them from two of my Rilakkuma blogger friends (Liemzie and Rilakkuma Desu). I wouldn’t have been able to get the set so easily without the help of my friends!

Of course, the plushies that readers have sent are incredibly meaningful to me since they represent the amazing generosity of the Rilakkuma community! Seeing them in my collection makes me so grateful and humbled to be a part of such a supportive and thoughtful group of people!

6. What do you love most about collecting Rilakkuma?

The online Rilakkuma community is definitely one of my favourite things about collecting! Everyone is so supportive and encouraging, and it’s amazing to see the love of Rilakkuma bringing so many people from all over the world together – even my family is into Rilakkuma now! Especially since I don’t buy every Rilakkuma plushie, I love looking at other Rilakkuma collections and seeing details of all the different Rilakkuma plushies old and new!

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Thank you so much Faith for sharing your Rilakkuma collection with us. So many cute plushies! I look forward to seeing even more on your blog. If you’d like to follow Faith’s Rilakkuma Lifestyle blog too, please visit her at: http://rilakkumalifestyle.wordpress.com

And, as always, please pin her super cute Rilakkuma pictures to Pinterest.

Posted in San-X | Tagged Collection, Kawaii, Plushie, Rilakkuma, San-X | 7 Comments

My Kawaii Life