The world of Mr. Men Little Miss began with a simple question asked over breakfast one morning.

“What does a tickle look like?”

The question came from a young boy — the eldest son of British author and illustrator Roger Hargreaves, creator of the beloved character series.

Inspired by his son’s innocent curiosity, Roger Hargreaves went on to create the imaginative and colorful world of Mr. Men Little Miss, filled with unique characters that each embody different personalities and emotions.
That simple question sparked Roger Hargreaves’ imagination.

From that moment, his ideas began to grow, eventually leading to the creation of Mr. Tickle — a cheerful character with extraordinarily long arms who loves tickling everyone he meets.

Created in 1971, Mr. Tickle became the very first book in the Mr. Men Little Miss series. Within just three years of its release, the book had sold over one million copies, becoming a hugely popular title.

Roger Hargreaves wanted to share knowledge, values, and manners with his curious young son in a fun and engaging way. From that desire, the characters of Mr. Men Little Miss were born — each one uniquely representing the many different personalities, traits, and individualities that people possess.

In 2026, Mr. Men Little Miss celebrates its 55th anniversary.

More than 400 books in the picture book series have been published in 17 languages around the world, with total global sales exceeding 250 million copies.

Since Sanrio acquired the brand in 2011, the unique world and charm of Mr. Men Little Miss have continued to be carefully preserved and carried forward.

Today, under the concept “Being Different is Delightful!”, Mr. Men Little Miss continues to share messages that celebrate each person’s unique qualities and encourage people to positively embrace and enjoy one another’s differences.

Driven by the desire to create a place where fans could truly experience the “Being Different is Delightful!” concept of Mr. Men Little Miss together with the brand’s unique world, the first-ever flagship store in Japan, MR. MEN LITTLE MISS MARKET Harajuku, opened in February 2026.

Stepping inside the store, visitors are immediately surrounded by the colorful and distinctive characters of Mr. Men Little Miss.

Greeting guests near the entrance is Mr. Bump — a lovable character known for being clumsy and constantly bumping into everything he encounters.

Further inside the store, visitors can also spot Mr. Tall, the character famous for his extraordinarily long legs.

Inside, the shop offers a wide selection of stylish apparel and lifestyle goods inspired by the series’ uniquely charming characters.

“We hope customers will enjoy choosing products not only based on which characters they like, but also on which personalities and traits they personally relate to,” says a representative involved with the store.

The location chosen for the flagship store was Takeshita Street in Harajuku.

“Harajuku is a place where diverse fashion and cultures intersect, and where people express their individuality. For Mr. Men Little Miss, a brand centered around unique personalities, we felt it was a highly compatible location,” explains the brand representative.

The store’s spatial design also pays tribute to the brand’s birthplace, the United Kingdom.

“For the store concept, we incorporated elements inspired by the world of the London Underground. By blending London culture with the creative spirit of Harajuku, we aimed to express the colorful world of these uniquely individual characters.”

Though compact in size, the store is designed to serve as a gateway into the world of Mr. Men Little Miss — a place where visitors can casually experience and take home the joy of celebrating individuality in everyday life.

Just a few minutes away along Takeshita Street, visitors can also find the Sanrio Harajuku Store, where they can enjoy shopping for goods featuring Sanrio characters as well. Why not stop by both while exploring the area?

The flagship store born in Harajuku is a place where visitors can encounter the colorful personalities of Mr. Men Little Miss while also taking a moment to reflect on their own individuality.

Fans can also experience the world of Mr. Men Little Miss through animation. A new animated series is currently being distributed globally on YouTube.

In addition, a second animated series is currently in production for television, and a feature film project has also been announced.

Guided by its vision, “One World, Connecting Smiles.,” Sanrio will continue to share the humor, individuality, and warmth of Mr. Men Little Miss with audiences around the world, connecting more people through smiles and expanding circles of happiness across the globe.

©︎ 2026 THOIP

Address: 1-16-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

For more information about the store, please visit the website below.

https://stores.sanrio.co.jp/en/8866100

https://mrmen.com/