Vote for Your Fave Hello Kitty Characters - Like Sexy Rockstar Yoshikitty
Plus where to get your Hello Kitty fix in Singapore and Japan
Hello Kitty might just be a fictional bobtail cat but Hello Kitty has legions of fans whose love knows no bounds. And now voting is open to discover the most popular Hello Kitty characters in the world. This annual popularity chart started back in 1986 and now it’s online, with a bigger voting pool than ever.
We’d say this is a fun activity you can do together with your kids - but who are we kidding? Hello Kitty is just as popular with adults as kids! Anyway, until May 23 you can vote for your favourite Sanrio character online here.
This year there are 80 characters to choose from. As well as Hello Kitty and her friends, there are new limited edition Hello Kitty characters created in collaboration with Asian pop stars and actors. The hot tip is that punky Yoshikitty is poised to take the Hello Kitty crown - Yoshikitty is inspired by Yoshiki, the sexy one in the insanely popular Japanese band X JAPAN (he plays the drums and a see-through crystal grand piano). She’s more Hellraiser Kitty than Hello Kitty, but Yoshiki’s billions of fans adore her.
Yoshikitty topped the popularity list in France, Germany, and Brazil last year and ranked sixth in the world Will she take the Hello Kitty crown? The winning characters are announced in July 2022.
But if you need a Hello Kitty fix before then, here are other places to visit, in Singapore and Japan:
You’ll be eating with one hand and taking Instagram photos with the other hand at this adorable Hello Kitty-themed afternoon tea. It starts with Pink Flamingo tea infused with milk, strawberry and rose or a Dear Daniel mocktail, made with blue butterfly pea, apple, and coconut cream. Then it’s a Japanese-style afternoon tea with savoury selections like barbeque-glazed Kurobuta pork and sweets like waffle and berries tea cake.
Anti:dote's Hello Kitty Whimsical Tea Indulgence is priced from $72++ per person. It’s daily 12pm - 2pm & 3pm - 5pm until 30 April 2022. Find out more here.
Where to find Hello Kitty on your next trip to Japan
This two-storey Hello Kitty flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo houses the world’s largest array of Hello Kitty products, including limited edition characters. It’s the ultimate place to go to if you’re looking for the perfect Hello Kitty merchandise to take home with you.
Nishi Ginza Department store, 4-1 Saki, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, www.sanrio.co.jp/store
This indoor theme park located in Tama New Town, Tokyo, Japan hosts attractions, live shows, shopping outlets, and restaurants dedicated to Sanrio characters such as Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinamoroll, Gudetama, and Aggretsuko. Special attractions include Lady Kitty House - a palace of a home decorated in Hello Kitty's images by famous graphic designers. At the end of the attraction, you can get your photo taken together with Hello Kitty. Or do the Kiki & Lala Twinklingtour - Visitors explore a replica of the birthplace of the little twin stars, Kiki and Lala.
Sanrio Puroland, 1 Chome-31 Ochiai, Tama, Tokyo 206-8588, Japan
The Puroland website is partly in English, so you can see some information on attractions, but it’s easier to book through a ticket site like Klook, that’s all in English - plus, you get discounts.