From mandatory masks, to using hand sanitizers and maintain safe distance, Hello Kitty, My Melody and other much-loved Sanrio characters demonstrate the “8 asks” visitors need to be aware of. Hello ...

Hello Kitty turns 50 on Friday. Befitting a pop icon at midlife, the bubble-headed, bow-wearing character’s fictional birthday has brought museum exhibits, a theme park spectacle and a national tour.

The soft, sparse outline of Hello Kitty was first sketched by Yuko Shimizu in 1974. Having just graduated from Tokyo’s Musashino Art University, the young designer was working for Japanese toy giant ...