In my soon-to-be-released cookbook Cute Yummy Time, Basil and I journey through Kawaii-Land, a colorful world filled with adorable Sanrio-style characters. Japan’s not much different: it’s possible to fill your home entirely with cutie-faced goods. Just imagine: you wake up with your head on a fuzzy happy-faced pillow. You get out of bed, pour your coffee into a panda mug, and stir in your stevia with a matching peek-a-boo spoon. You rinse your hands with soap from a frog dispenser.

Time for a shower. A “bubble monkey” scrub mitt exfoliates your skin. You throw your PJs into the Happy Lion laundry basket and tie up your hair with squishy farm animal elastics.

Uh oh: the baby kitty is hungry. He clamors onto a happy footstool and looks up at the bear-faced treat box. As you watch him chomp his food, you wonder if you can dress him in a Totoro bib.

You’d better get to work – but then you glimpse the sleepy animal pillows on the couch. You sit down and pinch the baby elephant’s cheeks. Before you can say kawaii, you’re back in dreamland…

All of these photos were taken in Ikebukuro, one of Tokyo’s best districts for cute character goods. Loft and Daiso are also great places to shop. Do you have any kawaii home decor items? Which ones are your favorites?