And that's just in Japan, her literal birthplace but not the one listed in her official biography. Confused? Welcome to the party. If there's one thing about Hello Kitty, it's that she's proven ...

“Hello Kitty’s ascendancy tallied with a growing culture that encouraged Japanese women to embrace ... from the rice bowls which are shaped as her head to the handwash in the toilet.

Credit: Naoko Madokoro/Sanrio/Nobuko Burnfield Hello Kitty is a popular Japanese character that celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. We spoke to former Sanrio staff members Naoko Madokoro ...