Words by Maggie Arandela-Romano
When I first saw Hello Kitty standing next to Yokozuna in full ceremonial kimono, waving shyly beside the towering sumo champion, I smiled like a child again. It wasn’t just cute — it was surreal. A symbol of sweetness and friendship sharing the stage with Japan’s most ancient and powerful sport. And yet, somehow, it made perfect sense.
Earlier this September, Sanrio Co., Ltd. announced that Hello Kitty has been appointed official ambassador for the Grand Sumo Tournament in London, which will take place October 15–19, 2025, at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s the first time in 34 years — and only the second time in history — that sumo will be held outside Japan. The last was in 1991, during the Japan Festival, when the UK had its first real glimpse of the spiritual and cultural depth of Japan’s national sport.
Now, in 2025, that meeting between cultures returns. And at its heart stands a little girl (ye, because she’s not a cat!) with a red bow, born in the suburbs of London.
Hello Kitty was “born in London,” making this not only a cultural bridge but also something like a homecoming. For those of us who grew up with her, that detail always added a quiet charm — she wasn’t just Japanese, she was a citizen of the world.
As Sanrio’s President and CEO Tomokuni Tsuji explained, the company sees Hello Kitty as a messenger of friendship and cultural understanding, values that mirror the spirit of sumo itself. The sport, often mistaken as purely physical, is steeped in ritual, respect, and tradition. From the salt thrown to purify the ring to the ceremonial stomping that drives away evil spirits, every movement tells a story.
This Fall, those rituals will unfold in the grandeur of the Royal Albert Hall — a setting as far from Tokyo’s Ryōgoku Kokugikan as one could imagine, yet somehow fitting. London will not only host top-division wrestlers but also a full display of the sport’s cultural heritage.
And standing among them, Hello Kitty will greet audiences young and old, representing that same balance of strength and kindness.
At the Tokyo announcement event, Yokozuna Hoshoryu, one of the sport’s brightest stars, stood beside Hello Kitty. Dressed in a colorful yukata patterned with sumo motifs, he smiled and admitted that meeting her in person was “adorable.” He also said this would be his first overseas tournament and that he hoped it would give people in London a chance to “discover and appreciate the world of sumo.”
Hello Kitty, ever polite, gave her own short message:
“I’m so happy to be joining the sumo wrestlers in sharing the beauty of Japanese traditional culture with the people of London. I’ll be visiting friends at schools and hospitals too — I can’t wait to make new friends!”
It’s easy to dismiss such moments as symbolic or light-hearted, but in truth, they hold weight. Hello Kitty has always stood for gentleness in a world that can feel harsh. Her presence softens formality without reducing its importance. Having her as ambassador doesn’t dilute sumo’s dignity — it broadens its reach.
Sanrio’s partnership with the tournament also extends through its Nakayoku Project, a global social initiative focused on spreading smiles and community connection. “Minna Nakayoku” translates roughly to “Getting along together.” It’s a simple idea, but Sanrio has built an empire on it — one small gift, one small smile at a time.
As part of this project, Hello Kitty will visit hospitals and community centers across the UK during her ambassador role, sharing time with children who might need joy the most. It’s a subtle but powerful reminder that her purpose goes beyond merchandise. She represents empathy in motion — a cultural bridge built not with words, but with warmth.
Writing about Hello Kitty always feels a little personal for me. I’ve loved her since I was a child. She wasn’t just a character printed on notebooks or lunch boxes — she was a companion.
Growing up, I spent much of my early life traveling abroad with my parents. We moved often. Friends came and went. But Hello Kitty was constant (and for those who know me well, she still is) — on my pencil case, my pyjamas, my suitcase tag. During long flights or hotel stays, she became my silent friend, a small reminder of home even when I wasn’t sure where home was.
When I saw the news that she would stand on stage at the Royal Albert Hall — not just as a cute mascot, but as a cultural ambassador — I couldn’t help but feel proud. Proud of her, in a strange way. Proud of how something so small, so seemingly simple, could carry decades of meaning for people like me.
There’s something clever — and deeply human — about Sanrio’s decision to make Hello Kitty the face of this international event. In the world of global diplomacy, we often talk about “soft power”: the ability to influence and connect through culture rather than politics. Japan has mastered this better than most, and Hello Kitty is one of its most recognizable ambassadors.
By linking her to sumo, Sanrio isn’t just promoting a sport. It’s weaving together two of Japan’s most enduring cultural symbols: the ancient and the modern, the strong and the gentle. In a time when so much divides people, the pairing feels quietly radical.
The Royal Albert Hall will transform for five days into a miniature Tokyo. Audiences will witness not only the physical clashes of top-division wrestlers but also the ceremonial rhythms that define sumo — the chanting, the rituals, the sense of sacred performance. And somewhere in that grand hall, Hello Kitty will be there, smiling, bowing, connecting children to something far bigger than themselves.
Cultural events like this remind us why art, tradition, and play still matter. They connect generations. They make history feel alive. And in this case, they let a whole new audience see that sumo isn’t about brute force — it’s about balance, respect, and discipline.
At the same time, Hello Kitty represents another kind of strength — quiet, emotional, and enduring. She’s managed to stay relevant across five decades without changing her expression or saying more than a few words. That’s no small feat. She’s proof that simplicity can travel farther than spectacle.
This London event brings all of that together: nostalgia, tradition, and hope. It’s not just Japan visiting the UK. It’s two cultures meeting halfway — through ceremony, through colour, and through the universal language of kindness.
For me, watching Hello Kitty return to London — the city of her birth and my own place of many memories — feels oddly symbolic. She’s still that same small figure with a red bow, still polite, still wordless, still smiling. But now she carries with her the weight of decades, the love of generations, and a quiet mission: to remind us that connection is stronger than difference.
When the lights rise over the Royal Albert Hall this October and the sumo ring takes its place beneath its famous dome, she will stand there as more than a mascot. She’ll be a bridge between East and West, strength and softness, childhood and adulthood — a small figure linking traditions and emotions across continents.
For those of us who grew up with her, it may also be a moment to remember who we were, and who we still are. Hello Kitty steps into the ring; London bows in return. Bridging cultures, sharing smiles, staying true.
And as she waves to the crowd, one question lingers: what is your #HaveYouGotYours?
