New gift shop featuring giant Hello Kitty storefront to open in Asakusa this spring

Sanrio’s new shop scheduled to open in Asakusa this coming April should be a Hello Kitty fan’s idea of heaven.

Tokyo’s Asakusa district, with the famous Sensoji Temple and the Nakamise shopping street filled with endless souvenir stores and food stalls, is a hugely popular tourist destination.

And now it seems there will be one more reason for tourists (and locals too, for that matter) to visit Asakusa — a new Sanrio gift shop!

Yes, Sanrio will be opening the Sanrio Gift Gate Asakusa Store next month, and although they’ve only released an illustration of what the shop is expected to look like, we can already tell that it won’t just be your average souvenir shop.

And why is that? Because there’s going to be giant 6.8-meter by 5-meter (22-feet by 16-feet) Hello Kitty glass tile facade decorating the storefront! And what’s more, the larger-than-life Hello Kitty will even be able to open and shut her eyes!

The store will have two levels, with the first floor offering exclusive Hello Kitty merchandise. Items featuring other Sanrio characters such as Cinnamoroll, Gudetama and My Melody will be available on the second floor.

▼ For the grand opening, Hello Kitty herself will apparently make an appearance, and in kimono too!

And while Hello Kitty in a kimono certainly sounds delightful, what is really getting us excited is the special Hello Kitty rickshaw, which they’ve announced will be part of the opening day festivities.

Asakusa is known as an area where old-fashioned rickshaws operate, so it’s fitting that they’ll be preparing a unique Hello Kitty rickshaw for the opening event. And if the actual rickshaw looks anything like what is shown in the illustration, with the Kitty tires and a large Kitty head as a hood, then it’s sure to attract tons of attention on the street. What Hello Kitty fan wouldn’t want a ride on that?

We know that Hello Kitty has been keeping busy of late as usual with projects such as decorating entire trains in the Kansai area and even collaborating with an American YouTuber, so we’re certainly glad she’s getting a brand new store to fully showcase herself.

Although they haven’t announced an exact date, the Sanrio Gift Gate Asakusa Store is scheduled to open in late April. If you’re a Sanrio fan, Asakusa might become a new must-visit destination!

Shop information
Sanrio Gift Gate Asakusa Store
Address: Tokyo-to, Taito-ku, Asakusa 1-17
東京都台東区浅草一丁目 17 番
(Scheduled to open late April)

Source, images: Sanrio press release
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