I love Japan’s traditional items and often visit temple markets. Thankfully, these days a lot of traditional design is being re-introduced by young people who appreciate it as something new and different. I really like the colors and look of these cloth sandals. They used to be made of old clothes to save on household expenses. You can imagine the love that went into something like this when a mother spent hours crafting them for her kids.

I don’t own a single item that features Hello Kitty, and will probably never buy any, but I find this muffin mold that creates Hello Kitty shaped muffins lots of fun and really playful. As a kid, my parents repeatedly chastised me for playing with my food, so anything that makes playing with food legit, gets my immediate attention and approval.

I love the story behind the Maneki Neko, the porcelain figure of a beckoning cat that you see everywhere in Japan. Some feudal lord was standing below a tree to hide from a thunder storm when he saw a cat beckoning him. He became curious so he went to the cat. Moments later lighting struck the tree where he had sought shelter. This is how the Maneki Neko became a symbol of good fortune.

This Maneki Neko is really cute. And the amazing thing is, turn it around and you can have a lucky drink.

I found all these items while browsing on the site of our advertiser J-List, where you can buy them online. These are the direct links:

Hello Kitty muffin mold
Traditional cloth sandals
Maneki Neko cup