In the annual Soft Power Survey initiated by influential magazine Monocle, Japan was ranked 4" out of all the countries in the world in December 2015. Part of the reason why Japan has such a high level of soft power can be attributed to her irresistible and "kawaii" (cute) pop culture that has taken the world by storm. Indeed, pop culture in Japan - ranging from fashion and cosplays to manga, anime and music — captures the minds and hearts of consumers with their appealing visual aesthetics and whimsical vibrancy. Here's how kawaii pop culture blazes new trends and makes life just a tad more exciting in Japan.

Like many countries around the world, Japan boasts an entertainment scene that is enlivened with many charismatic boy bands and girl groups. Japanese people appreciate how these idol groups inject positive energy into their lives and stand by them staunchly. This creates fertile ground for the prospering of pop groups - one group, AKB48 once set a Guinness World Record for being the world's largest pop group with 140 members! However, what sets Japan apart from other countries is its lively virtual pop star scene. Hatsune Miku, a sexy virtual singer created via a singing voice synthesizer, is not just famous in Japan but celebrated worldwide. She has performed live on 'Late Show with David Letterman' before! Aside from Miku, there are many other popular volcaloids in Japan: Kagamine Rin and Len, Megurine Luka and Kaito, among others.

Manga and anime are integral to the lives of Japanese youths as their undying love for these genres has spilled over into their everyday lives. In fact, many young people are so involved in the emotional journeys of their favorite characters that they passionately engage in cosplay (dressing up as a manga or anime character) as a hobby. This strong demand for colorful and true-to-life costumes has thus fuelled the growth o places like Akihabara and Asagaya Anime Street in Tokyo, where fans can shop to thei heart's content for costumes that will do justice to their portrayal of the characters. Th trend of cosplay is not just restricted to Tokyo alone; in fact, Japan's holy land of cospl is located in Osu, Nagoya. Cosplay culture is so prevalent in Osu that it has been organizing the World Cosplay Summit since 2003, where die-hard cosplay practitioners from all over the world gather to compete and see who is the most adept at bringing their chosen character to life. Make a trip to Osu this early August, if you can. It is inspiring to see how so many individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds and nationalities bond together over their common love for Japanese manga and anime!

The spirit of omotenashi (hospitality) is deeply rooted in the psyche of the Japanese people. This results in many ladies determined to quick to embrace new quirky things and present their most attractive self in front of others, thereby prompting kawaii trends to be generated at the drop of a hat always. The Harajuku district in Tokyo best embodies this concept of kawaii fashion as young, pretty girls flock there to flaunt their unique fashion sense. From the Japanese Lolita style that focuses on doll-like make-up to the flamboyant costumes advocated by the visual kei style, one thing is common: Japanese ladies do not shun away from using fanciful and bold colors. Couple lively costumes with funky accessories like 3D nail art and food replica accessories, and you have Japanese women eager to leverage the many avenues available in which to showcase their personality!

Enterprising Japanese organizations often incorporate pop culture trends into seemingly unrelated realms so as to help people immerse themselves in their preferred imaginary world. For instance, "One Piece", a hugely popular manga/anime recently made the leap from print/TV to real life in the form of a fun and interactive run that debuted in Okinawa in March 2016. Anime buffs certainly rejoiced at the opportunity to come up close with iconic scenes from the magical world of "One Piece"! Or you can join the Tokyo Wonder Festival, the largest figurine fair held in Chiba every two years for collectors to display their models that are uncanny replicas of anime and game characters.

The widespread influence of Japan's soft power is best encapsulated in her pop culture, where Japanese designers, artists and musicians combine unorthodox elements together to create innovative trends. Indeed, fervent supporters from the world over are waiting in baited breath for the next fad to take them by surprise. In the meantime, let's us all enjoy how Japanese pop culture adds on to the little pleasures of living and elevates our happiness.