Omiyage

For the Japanese, travel is synonymous with picking up omiyage (souvenirs) for co-workers, family, or friends. The most commonly purchased omiyage are boxes of cookies or other food

Miyajima Omiyage Store: deep in the grips of my addiction

products that are specific to the region. Far from being limited to cookies, omiyage shops offer a strange mix of items ranging from expensive traditional crafts to cheap plastic toys.

Sanrio has done an excellent job of harnessing this omiyage market by creating exclusive versions of Hello Kitty that are only available for purchase in a specific area. Each of the kitties capitalize on something that the prefecture or region is famous for, such as food products, folk culture, or historical events. Larger cities or regions sometimes offer multiple selections. According to the book Hello Kitty Box (2005 - Japanese only), there are more than 850 regional kitties!

Although I wasn't previously a Hello Kitty fan, I quickly became addicted to collecting the different varieties as I traveled across the country. I picked up more than 30 Hello Kitty cellphone charms (keitai sutorappu) from prefectures in Hokkaido to Kyushu. Thanks to eBay and traveling friends, my collection continues to grow.

Click on one of the preview images of the kitties on the left to see their image detail, prefecture of origin, and a brief explanation of their theme. Many of the images that accompany the descriptions were taken by other photographers. Be sure to check out their links!