This article first appeared on Twenty-Something Travel

The first word in Japanese that I learned was maybe the most useful:

Kawaii (Ka-why-ee)- Cute

You need only to spend a day in Japan to see how prevalent this word is. I overheard it uttered about a dozen times a day, which makes sense: everything in Japan is Kawaii. There seems to be a national commitment to spreading adorableness in every venue possible.

A few things in Japan that are kawaii:

Socks

Traffic Cones

Dog Costumes

Deer

Hello Kitty

Religious Statues

Umbrellas

Children

Manga Shops

Manhole Covers

Rats

Posters

Buddhas

Warning Signs

Dinosaurs

In the end I was pretty sad to leave Japan. The kind people, clean cities and beautiful sights made it such a pleasurable place to visit. Not to mention their delicious sweets and hardcore commitment to adorableness. I really feel like I only scratched the surface of this county, and I can’t wait to come back and explore in more depth someday.

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About Me

I’m a girl who can’t sit still. After nearly a decade of flitting around the world as a professional blogger and travel writer, I’ve settled into expat life in Bologna, Italy. I have a handsome husband, a floppy dog, and the best two year old in the world.

I blog professionally at Why Wait To See the World, and unprofessionally right here.