Play and Creative (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Hello Kitty haters -- look away! For yes, my entry for Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts this week is going to focus on the kawaii cat -- and, in particular, sights seen and photos taken during a pilgrimage I made to Sanrio Puroland last fall.

Located in the self designated "Hello Kitty's Town" of Tama, Sanrio Puroland is a place where cuteness overload and incredible commercialism meet -- and to such an extent that it can sensorily overwhelm and temporarily disconcert even the likes of this admitted admirer of the furry feline (who once wrote a four page cover article on Kitty Chan).

Thus it was that I found myself walking about in a veritable daze for the first hour or so. But after I allowed myself time to circle around the complex not once but twice (the second time more slowly so that I had more time to pause and take it all in), I got to noticing not just the at times overly cutesy and commercial elements at play in the place but, also, its enjoyably playful and creative touches.

Something else I noticed about Sanrio Puroland is that even while much of it appears to have been designed for children, it generally ends up being more of a giant play area for adults. (For proof, I'll point out that the photos I took at the place have way more adults than children in them.) Also, while the lesser shows at the Wisdom Tree Stage looked to specifically target the younger set, the grand Believe show is replete with creative elements and thus capable of enthralling adult Hello Kitty fans as well as less critical kids -- and, indeed, played a key role in leaving me with warm and fuzzy feelings about my Sanrio Puroland experience as a whole. :)