Fans celebrate as Hello Kitty turns 50

At the Sanrio Puroland theme park outside Tokyo this week, fans are marking the 50th anniversary of the iconic Japanese character, Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty started life as an illustration on a vinyl coin purse. It has since appeared on tens of thousands of products, official and unofficial, including tie-ups with Adidas, Balenciaga and other top brands.

The park in Tama City offers attractions, live shows, shopping outlets and restaurants featuring the beloved character. Sanrio's share price has soared more than seven-fold, pushing its market cap over one trillion yen, since young CEO Tomokuni Tsuji took over from his grandfather in 2020.