A Hello Kitty-themed maternity hospital has opened its doors in Taiwan, aimed at easing the stress of childbirth with images of the popular cartoon character.
By Danielle Demetriou in Tokyo
Last Updated: 5:18PM GMT 08 Dec 2008
The 30-bed Hau Sheng Hospital in Yuanlin in central Taiwan is reportedly the world's first Hello Kitty themed medical establishment.
From blankets and birth certificates to cots and uniforms worn by staff, every aspect of the Hello Kitty hospital is emblazoned with the feline motif.
Patients are welcomed by a statue of Hello Kitty dressed in a doctor's uniform, before travelling in a Hello Kitty elevator to a pink examination room with Hello Kitty posters on the wall.
The hospital's director Tsai Tsung-chi opened the £2m (T$100m) hospital in his hometown after obtaining authorisation from the fictitious cat's Japanese parent company Sanrio Co Ltd.
Describing the objectives of the hospital, he said: "I wish that everyone who comes here, mothers who suffer while giving birth and children who suffer from an illness, can get medical care while seeing these kitties and bring a smile to their faces, helping forget about discomfort and recover faster."
Among the first mothers to give birth in the Hello Kitty themed hospital was Chen Shing-chiu, 38, mother of a newborn baby boy.
"Unlike traditional hospitals that are mostly white, I feel this one is pretty good," she said. "I like Hello Kitty very much myself." Despite turning 34 years of age this year, Hello Kitty has retained a healthy army of fans both in her native Japan and overseas.
From gracing the cover of Japanese Vogue earlier this year to the launch of a Hello Kitty themed aeroplane, there are few aspects of society untouched by the nation's love for the button-eyed feline.
