Fukoku Life Insurance is hosting the "Fukoku Life Local Kitty Museum" in its company building in Uchisaiwaicho, Tokyo. The exhibit runs until June 30, 2015.
The designer behind this exhibit is Naoya Iwama. After joining Hakuhodo Inc. in 2010, Iwama was assigned to Hakuhodo Brand Design, a unit specializing in next-generation branding. Since October 2014, he has been working in the spatial design department and event and space promotion division of Hakuhodo Products Inc., where he has worked on integrated design ranging from branding strategy to architecture, interior design, products, and logos.
The museum he designed displays original local Kitty figures from 62 branches across Japan, aligned with a map of Japan painted on the floor. The exhibit combines Hello Kitty, Fukoku Life's mascot, with local specialties, history, and people from around Japan. Just looking at the Kitty figures in their unique outfits allows you to sense the traditions and regional characteristics of each region of Japan.

As the symbol of the exhibition, a noren curtain featuring Hello Kitty like a family crest has been installed at the entrance. The rest of the space has been stripped of unnecessary decoration, with the aim of expressing Hello Kitty's simple, structured design in the space. Within this, the map of Japan, with its varying degrees of bold black lines, is painted across the floor, evoking the outline of Hello Kitty.

[Exhibition Information]
Fukoku Life Local Kitty Museum
Venue: Fukoku Life Building, 1st Floor Entrance
Address: 2-2-2 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Dates: December 8, 2014 to June 30, 2015 (planned)