Genesis
Shintaro Tsuji was born in 1927 in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture. He lost his mother at 13 and was raised by a strict aunt — a lonely childhood shaped his deep belief in the power of friendship and giving. After World War II, he worked as a civil servant, but bureaucracy stifled him. In 1960, with severance pay from his job, he founded Yamanashi Silk Company in Tokyo. He sold ties and scarves — until one day he noticed that sandals with painted flowers sold much better than those without. And everything changed.
Philosophy — Small Gift
Tsuji believed that the most important thing in life is to have someone you can open your heart to. Sanrio was meant to help people make friends — through small, cute gestures. Not expensive gifts, not funny ones. Cute ones. Because cute simply makes the heart lighter.
Flower on a Sandal
Tsuji understood something simple: a cute design on an ordinary object changes everything. He hired illustrators and commissioned original characters. In 1974, Yuko Shimizu drew Hello Kitty — a white kitten with a red bow and no mouth. Debut on a vinyl coin purse. The rest is history.
Why No Mouth?
Tsuji explained: Hello Kitty has no mouth because she is meant to speak what you feel. Her face is a mirror — you project your emotions onto her. When you're sad, she's sad. When you're happy — so is she. It's not a coincidence, it's a design.
60 Years as CEO
Tsuji led Sanrio for exactly 60 years — until 2020. At 92, he handed over the reins to his grandson, Tomuni Tsuji, who — incredibly — shares a birthday with Hello Kitty. Shintaro remained chairman of the board and continues to be actively involved in the company.
Iconic Sanrio Characters
🐱 Hello Kitty (1974)
A white kitten with a red bow and no mouth. A symbol of kawaii worldwide. Designed by Yuko Shimizu.
🌸 My Melody (1975)
A pink bunny in a hood — delicate, sweet, always gentle. One of Tsuji's favorite characters.
☁️ Cinnamoroll (2001)
A white puppy with big ears who sleeps on a cloud. Multiple winner of Sanrio popularity contests.
🖤 Kuromi (2005)
A black skull with a pink heart inside. Pretends to be evil — but has a soft core. An icon for those who don't want to be cute.
⭐ Little Twin Stars (1975)
Kiki and Lala — personally created by Shintaro Tsuji. A pair of star twins from pastel dreams.
🐶 Pompompurin (1996)
A golden retriever in a beret. Likes to nap in bowls and eat pudding. A calm symbol of Japanese hygge.
How to Spot an Original
Three Pillars of Creation
Small gesture, big smile
Small Gift, Big Smile — philosophy from day one
Friendship through design
Characters as bridges between people — not products, but connections
Kawaii as a language
Cuteness not as an aesthetic — but as a way to express feelings
Curiosities
🌸 Flower on a Sandal
Tsuji discovered the power of charm with a simple example: sandals with a painted flower sold many times better than those without a design. This was the spark that ignited Sanrio.
⭐ Little Twin Stars — his work
Tsuji personally created Kiki and Lala — a pair of star twins. These are the only Sanrio characters the company founder designed himself.
🎂 Birthday like Hello Kitty
Tsuji's grandson — Tomokuni, current CEO of Sanrio — was born on November 1st. Exactly the same day as Hello Kitty. A coincidence that Sanrio treats as a sign.
📚 Writer and storyteller
Tsuji wrote over a dozen books — from fairy tales to business guides. He was also a producer of Japanese animated Sanrio films from 1977–1985, including adaptations of The Nutcracker.
Follow and Discover
Shintaro Tsuji envisioned a world where a flower on a sandal could change someone's day. And for 60 years, he proved he was right.
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