Yamanashi Prefecture has a reputation as an area hosting tons of interesting museums. Now comes word that it’s getting one for Hello Kitty and the gang.
Sanrio has announced its plans to open a new Sanrio character museum in Yamanashi Prefecture in 2025. The museum will be built in the city of Kai (甲斐), located about 50 kilometers northwest of Fujiyoshida. The building will be located in Ryuosanmachi in Akasaka Soft Park.
The progenitor of the idea is Sanrio Chairman and founder Tsuji Shintarou (辻信太郎), a Yamanashi native and former Yamanashi Prefecture employee. Tsuji left his job in the prefectural government in 1960 to found Silk Center Co. Ltd., which would rebrand itself in 1973 to Sanrio. Hello Kitty, who’s currently celebrating her 50th anniversary, would debut the year after.
Kai’s mayor, Hosaka Takeshi, says he hopes the museum helps grow the city’s population and economy. Unlike many smaller cities in Japan, Kai’s population is actually growing – up to 75,313 people in 2020, compared to 27,075 people in 1970.
Other sites around Yamanashi
Given the immense popularity of Sanrio characters worldwide, the museum will likely prove a strong tourist draw. That’s good news for cities like Tokyo, which are currently struggling to address overtourism while also preparing to welcome 60 million tourists a year by 2030.
Yamanashi, of course, is a prime viewing spot and hiking entry point for Mt. Fuji. The mountain has also wrestled with overtourism, with Yamanashi earlier this year implementing entrance fees to reduce crowding.
Yamanashi Prefecture is also already home to a number of interesting museums. A few highlights include the Mori Art Museum, the Teddy Bear World Museum, the Tasha Tudor Museum, and the Keith Haring Museum. You can also enjoy viewing Fuji in Yamanashi while also avoiding crowds.
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Sources
サンリオが国内唯一のミュージアム整備 創業者の出身地・山梨に 来年度オープンへ. YBS News
甲斐市. Wikipedia JP
