Visiting Hello Kitty at Sanrio Puroland, Tokyo

From working on a men dominated profession, where I often find myself as the only lady in the group, to my unexplained love for hiking and mountains, it is normal for people to conclude that I am and always will be “one of the boys”.

Despite this image which by the way I accept with a smile, still the girl inside me cannot resist any pink, cutesy stuff particularly those Hello Kitty bags and key chains.

Since I am planning to buy several items for my cousins and was looking for more options, I decided to head straight to the town of Hello Kitty and friends, the only one in the world- Sanrio Puroland at Tama Center.

An indoor theme park (personally, I would prefer if it’s outdoor) celebrating the Sanrio created characters of Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll and Jewelpet, the park features various musical performances, theme rides, restaurants and shops.

An entrance fee option of either “Welcome Ticket”- good for entrance and all free shows (Adult: 3,000 Yen, Kids: 2,000 Yen) and a “Passport Ticket” for entrance and access to all shows and attractions, (Adult: 4,400 Yen, Kids: 3,300 Yen), visiting the theme park is a good alternative for little girls celebrating birthdays, as celebrants usually received extra perks.

Much smaller in total area compare to Disneyland, the Sanrio Puroland major attraction are concentrated at the Puro Village where the towering Wisdom Tree is standing at the center.

Located at the top of the Wisdom Tree is a kind of a shrine named Hello Kitty “Bell of Happiness”, where visitors are encourage to ring the bell and write wishes on an Ema bell shape paper.

Most free performances takes place at the Wisdom Tree Stage. During my visit, it was My Melody’s turn.

Similar to Disneyland “It’s a Small World” ride, expect long queue at the Sanrio Character Boat Ride.

What I enjoyed the most about my Puroland visit was the performances at Marchen Theater. In true “Kabuki” form, with Kitty playing Dorothy Gale, the re-telling of “Wizard of Oz” is quite entertaining. Apart from the play, you will get the chance to see the whole family of Hello Kitty. I never knew that she has a sister named Mimi.

Who could resist visiting Hello Kitty at her pink home, checking out her pink bedroom and meet her in person for a photo opportunity?

To end the day, an overload of Sanrio merchandise for omiyage (souvenir) and restaurants for a break.

Did I tell you about how cute the bathrooms are?

First designed by Yuko Shimizu and introduced in 1974, the image of Hello Kitty is synonymous to everything that represents “Kawaii”(cute) in Japanese pop culture.