If you’re a big fan of everything kawaii, then you’ve probably seen Miffy! This minimalist bunny created by Dutch artist Dick Bruna is loved all around the world. It’s so popular in Japan that a lot of people mistakenly think that this cutie comes from Sanrio, the maker of kawaii superstars like My Melody and Hello Kitty. What makes Miffy so special? Why is everyone in Japan so obsessed with Miffy? Put on your favorite hat because we’re going to run across the field and hang out a bit with Miffy!
- Japanese name: うさこちゃん (uuh-sah-ko-chan) / ミッフィー (mee-fee)
- Dutch name: Nijntje (nine-cha)
- Creator: Dick Bruna
- Birthday: June 21
- Favorite animal: Horses
- Fun Fact: Miffy used to have a different name in every language!
WHO IS MIFFY?
Miffy is a little girl rabbit who likes to draw and play with her friends! This cute little bunny has a big family made up of her father, mother, grandma, grandpa, uncle, and aunt. Uncomplicated and innocent, Miffy always has a positive attitude toward life. Open to new experiences, she’s never afraid to try out new things! This joyful energy that Miffy has is one of the biggest reasons why everyone’s fallen in love with her.
WHAT IS MIFFY?
If it isn’t clear what Miffy is, this cutie is an iconic bunny! She’s the star of more than 30 children’s books which teach people how to be a little more courageous and try out something new. Miffy’s design might look really simple and understated, but that’s exactly what gives her charm! It adds to Miffy’s appeal as a sweet and innocent kawaii superstar.
WHERE IS MIFFY FROM?
Though a lot of people often confuse Miffy for a Japanese character, this sweet little rabbit actually comes from the Dutch artist Dick Bruna. The storybook writer had been telling stories about a little rabbit he had seen in the dunes to his one-year-old son, and that became the inspiration for Miffy which was created in 1955! Using minimalist black graphic lines and primary colors, Bruna drew a rabbit that would eventually become an icon for children and adults alike.
Did you know that Bruna was born in the Year of the Rabbit? It was probably fate for him to create Miffy. Most of the time, people would refer to Bruna as the “Father of Miffy.” However, when Bruna turned 80 in 2007, the artist and children’s writer decided that he would call himself the “Grandfather of Miffy” instead.
IS MIFFY SANRIO?
Besides mistaking Miffy for being Japanese, a lot of people also think that Miffy comes from the kawaii powerhouse, Sanrio. It’s not hard to see why everyone would make that kind of mistake though. That’s because Miffy shares the same cute, minimalist design as many of Sanrio’s kawaii superstars! Just like Hello Kitty, Pochacco, and Tuxedosam, Miffy makes use of simple graphic lines and bright colors.
Did you know that one of Sanrio’s characters looked so much like Miffy, that the the companies actually got into a legal battle over it? The Dutch creator of Miffy had a copyright row with Sanrio over one of Hello Kitty’s friends, Cathy. If you removed the ribbon, this rabbit friend of Kitty White looked a lot like Miffy!
After a lengthy dispute between the two companies, Sanrio and Bruna decided on a settlement. Sanrio would cease and desist the use of Cathy for merchandise and both parties would donate the money they would have used for legal fees to the reconstruction of Japan which had just been hit by a tsunami in 2010! Talk about a kawaii resolution!
WHAT DOES MIFFY MEAN?
Miffy is a pretty cute name, but what does it actually mean? In English, miffy is a word that means two different things. First, it’s an adjective that describes someone or something that’s inclined to take offense. In other words, touchy. Second, miffy is another adjective that can also be used to describe something to that requires favorable conditions for growth. Like plants - you can say growing plants indoors can be miffy.
But wait, isn’t Miffy a Dutch character? What does Miffy mean in Dutch? Now that’s a good question. In Dutch, Miffy actually has a different name - nijntje. It’s the shortened way of saying “konijntje” which means little bunny in English. Pronounced as “nine-cha,” it’s a pretty a cute way of saying bunny!
WHY IS MIFFY CALLED MIFFY?
Nijntje might sound cute in Dutch, but it can be a bit difficult to read for non-Dutch speakers. Hoping to bridge the gap and make the bunny more relatable, Miffy got a different name in almost every language! In France, this cutie was known as “le petit lapin.” In Afrikaans, her name was “kleintjie.” In Japan, she’s called “Usako-chan,” which means little bunny in English.
With so many different names, things became a bit confusing for Miffy’s fanbase. That’s why Miffy’s creator Dick Bruna tried to find an international name for the little rabbit that he made. Working together with an English translator, they come up with the name “Miffy.” The name doesn’t have any real special meaning, and it’s easy to pronounce! It’s also a pretty musical name too.
WHAT LANGUAGE DOES MIFFY SPEAK?
Well, it depends on where Miffy is! Miffy has starred in a ton of different books, shows, and other media. All of these things have been translated into 50 different languages including Dutch, Japanese, and English. That’s why Miffy is such an international sensation!
IS MIFFY A BOY OR A GIRL?
Miffy is a girl rabbit! Her creator, Dick Bruna once thought of turning the rabbit he saw at the dunes into a boy, but once he started drawing the bunny he decided that he’d rather have it wear a dress instead of trousers. Ever since that moment, Miffy’s been a girl bunny!
She’s a fashionable girl bunny too. She’s seen wearing all sorts of outfits - from the floral dress she wears on birthdays, her frilly swimsuit,and her warm-looking hat everyone can see just how much effort Miffy puts into the things she wears.
WHO IS MIFFY’S BEST FRIEND?
While a lot of kawaii characters like My Melody, Kuromi, and Hello Kitty have their own official besties, Miffy doesn’t really have an official best friend of her own. She does have a ton of friends though! Like Melanie, Aggie, Winnie, and Dan, the boy she sits in class with. We’ll get to know more about them in the next section.
EVERYONE IN THE WORLD OF MIFFY!
Being a sweet and curious rabbit, it makes sense that Miffy has a lot of family and friends. There’s her mother, her father, Boris the bear, Melanie, Winnie, and a whole lot more. Bring some extra carrots and vegetables along, because we’re going to meet all of them.
Mother Bunny
Also known as Mrs. Rabbit, Mother Bunny is Miffy’s mom. She lives together with her husband in a little white house with a red roof. Mother Bunny takes care of Miffy well, taking her to the zoo, the playground, or the museum.
Father Bunny
As the name implies, Father Bunny is the dad of Miffy. He lives with Mother Bunny and Miffy in a little white house with a red roof. He takes care of Miffy like Mother Bunny! Father Bunny loves Mother Bunny’s cooking
Aggie
This little bunny is one of Miffy’s friends. She looks a lot like Miffy and she even has the same teddy bear as her! Aggie plays the accordion together with Miffy’s band.
Aunty Alice
Aunty Alice is Father Bunny’s sister. She’s Miffy’s favorite aunt who often visits her. This bunny lives in a white house on top of the hill with a blue roof and a red door. She was a dancer when she was younger that’s why she often teaches Miffy and her friends how to dance. Aunty Alice is also a great pianist and accordion player!
Barbara
A clever and kind brown bear, Barbara is a friend of both Miffy and Boris. She lives with Boris in a brown wooden house near the woods. Barbara has seven little freckles above her nose! This cute bear acts as a big sister to Miffy and helps explain things to her.
Boris Bear
One of the main characters of Miffy’s book series, Boris Bear lives in the little wooden house near the woods. He lives there with Barbara! This cute bear is one of Miffy’s friends. He loves building things and fixing things up in his workshop!
Doctor
A male white rabbit, the Doctor helped examine Miffy in the classic storybooks. The Doctor helped check Miffy when her tonsils were out, saying that she would likely need to be hospitalized.
Farmer John
One of the human characters in Miffy’s universe, Farmer John lives on a farm with a white farmhouse with a green roof and a red chimney. He has a barn full of hay, hens, chicks, a cock, and a red pig. He’s often seen sowing seeds.
Grandma and Grandpa Bunny
Also known as Grandpa and Grandma Rabbit, this couple of bunnies are the parents of Father Bunny and Auntie Alice. They’re Miffy’s grandparents.
Grunty
A young female pig, Grunty loves playing with Miffy and her friends. She’s kind of a little sister to Miffy. Though she can be lazy when it comes to work like racking leaves, Grunty is always there when her friends need her. She can feel left out sometimes because she’s smaller than everyone else but Miffy and her friends always look out for her.
Melanie
A brown rabbit from Africa, Melanie is Miffy’s pen pal. Eventually, she moves near Miffy and then attends the same school together. Sometimes, Melanie sleeps over with Miffy.
Poppy Pig
An orange female pig, Poppy Pig is one of Miffy’s good friends. Together with her niece Grunty, this cutie lives in a little house with yellow flowers beneath the windows. She’s a great friend to Miffy and always helps her out when she’s in need. Poppy plays the cello in her free time!
Snuffy
Snuffy is Miffy’s pet dog that was first introduced in the titular book, “Snuffy.” Though this cute little dog was introduced as a male dog, Snuffy was eventually turned into a female. In the book “Snuffy’s Puppies,” she becomes pregnant and has three puppies. Snuffy believes her pups are the best pups in the whole world!
Teacher
This white male adult rabbit is the teacher of Miffy and her friends. He’s a kind and good teacher!
Uncle Pilot
Miffy’s uncle rabbit, Uncle Pilot has his very own red aeroplane. He and Miffy often ride the plan together!
Winnie
Winnie is one of Miffy’s friends. Though she’s usually seen as a background character, she’s sometimes seen having a lot of fun with Miffy and her buddies.
IS MIFFY KOREAN OR JAPANESE?
Sure, Miffy might speak Korean and Japanese in this cute little bunny’s media released around Asia, but she’s still pretty much a product of Bruna from the Netherlands. So why do people think that Miffy is Japanese?
Miffy has a pretty understated design that is so reminiscent of Japan. She has the same style as a lot of other kawaii characters in Japan - like Hello Kitty from Sanrio, Rilakkuma from San-X, and Nagano’s Chiikawa.
IS MIFFY POPULAR IN ASIA?
Well, just so you know, Miffy’s a pretty big deal in Japan! She’s even more popular among the Japanese than she is in the Netherlands. Sure, Miffy might have her own museum in Utrecht in the Netherlands, but she actually has more merchandise in Japan. Just in Tokyo alone, Miffy has more shops dedicated just to her! There are even Miffy cafes, Miffy flower shops, and even a Miffy garden center. Miffy is almost everywhere in Japan.
WHY DO ASIANS LOVE MIFFY?
Just like in the Netherlands, many Japanese children grow up with Miffy. They watch her on TV, read about her in books, and even learn to draw her in class. Miffy has a simple design that any 5-year-old can copy at school. Children in Japan love Miffy!
One of the biggest differences between Miffy in Japan and Miffy in the Netherlands is how she’s treated! Unlike the Netherlands which treats Miffy as a children’s character, the Japanese see this cute bunny as a kawaii icon for all ages. Because of her stature in kawaii culture, the Japanese aren’t afraid of loving Miffy even when they’re all grown up.
MIFFY’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN JAPAN!
Miffy is so popular in Japan that not only does she have her own Japanese name, but she has a very different set of family and friends there. They all have their own unique personalities and roles to play in Miffy’s story. Let’s get to meet them all!
Dad (Fluffy)
This white rabbit is Miffy’s father! He’s pretty reliable and he loves taking Miffy to many places. They often go to the sea, the zoo, and the art museum together.
Mother (Fuwamushisan)
Miffy’s mom, Mother is usually kind. However, Mother can also be resolute sometimes when the situation calls for it.
Baby
Baby is Usako’s very first sibling. No one’s really sure whether she’s a girl or boy though.
Grandpa
Miffy’s grandfather, Grandpa is a very skilled carpenter. He made Miffy her favorite red scooter!
Grandma
Miffy’s grandmother, Grandma is good at knitting. She’s the one who taught Miffy the joy of making things!
Aunty (Fuwako-san)
Fuwako-san is Miffy’s aunt. She loves parties and she does a lot of fun things. She’s a great friend to Miffy!
Uncle
Like the name implies, Uncle is Miffy’s uncle. He;s actually a pilot. In the story “Bunny Rides An Airplane,” Uncle takes Miffy in an adventure across the sky.
Daaaah
This cute rabbit is a transfer student with ears that have different shape compared to others.
Fugako-chan
A little piglet, Fugako-chan is jealous of Miffy’s long ears. She likes putting paper ears on her head to make them look longer!
Nina-chan
This brown bunny lives in a faraway country. She’s Miffy’s pen pal who came to visit her by plane.
Ahh & Willmain
These two rabbits are good friends of Miffy. In the story “Usako-chan Becomes a Ghost,” these two were surprised by Miffy and panicked!
WHY IS MIFFY FAMOUS?
Miffy has always been a children’s icon, but lately, there’s been a huge resurgence in the love for this little Dutch rabbit all around the world. This Dutch Bunny been everywhere as of late - from designer fashion to Miffy stationery items, to simple Miffy home goods. Why is everyone so obsessed with Miffy?
Well, it’s partly because of Gen-Z, the generation of children born from 1997 to 2012. Lately, Gen-Z-ers have been falling in love with everything retro, and it seems like Miffy has been one of the characters to fall in their hip little radar. Together with other classic kawaii characters like Hello Kitty, Chiikawa, and Rilakkuma, Miffy has been dominating the social media waves of Gen-Z.
READ MIFFY’S STORY!
Did you know that Miffy has 32 storybooks under her belt (with more for the characters in her universe)? Made for children to enjoy, the Miffy books have 12 pages with one illustration and four lines of verse. They all contain fun adventures and situations with happy endings!
The Miffy books are made for easy reading -and are often printed in small format. That’s because Dick Bruna considered it important that the children reading the books feel like the story is for them, and not their parents. All of the Miffy books have been translated into 50 different languages!
AN AFTERNOON AT THE MIFFY MUSEUM
Hoping to have an interactive afternoon as a Miffy fan? The Dutch bunny that’s loved so much in Japan has its very own museum in Utrecht in the Netherlands called the Nijntje Museum. Built especially for toddlers and preschool kids, the museum was designed around the Miffy artwork of Dick Bruna. The children are allowed to use everything in the area - their entire space doesn’t have corners or edges to make sure that everyone plays safe.
MIFFY AT THE THEMEPARK
Japan has a lot of peculiar attractions and that includes the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Nagasaki. This theme park tries to recreate the atmosphere of the Netherlands by displaying life-sized copies of old Dutch-style buildings. It features a lot of buildings from the Netherlands including villas, museums, shops, restaurants, hotels, windmills, and canals. There are also a few amusement rides too!
In 2025, the themepark is planning to open a special area for everyone’s favorite Dutch bunny, Miffy! Huis Ten Bosch plans to add on a ton of new Miffy-themed rides to the area which includes Miffy’s iconic plane and boat. There’ll also be an Instagrammable restaurant and a specialty store with tons of Miffy goods! We can’t wait for the Miffy area to open.
MIFFY IS A TV STAR!
Besides being the star of Bruna’s book series, Miffy also has her own stop-motion animated TV show called “Miffy & Friends.” Based on the original books, the series focuses on Miffy’s life. It has a nice storybook animation style with narration that explains the actions of the non-speaking characters. The show lasted for 3 seasons with 39 episodes.
MIFFY COLLABORATIONS
Everyone wants to work with a bunny as friendly as Miffy! This brave little bunny has teamed up with all sorts of brands and companies around the world. In Japan, Miffy’s worked with Bruno to produce a super kawaii line of cooking items like sandwich makers and pancake machines. She also had a collaboration project with Tatsumura Art Textiles, creating beautiful bags and pouches for her longtime fans! In 2021, Miffy also got to team up with the kawaii Japanese manga character, Chibi Maruko-chan to produce super cute merch.
That’s not all. Miffy’s also has a ton of great international collaboration projects too! Starbucks Hongkong and Miffy got to work together in 2024 to create fun collectible Miffy items like tumblers, bags, and more. Home decor creator Bacarat also collaborated with Miffy to create a luxurious glass Miffy that fans could display in their living room! In 2023, watch companies De Rijke & Co. and Revolution got together with Miffy to create a stunning watch for fans!
MIFFY AS A FASHION ICON
While Miffy might have a simple design, Bruna’s bunny has always been a pretty fashionable girl. That’s why it’s no surprise that fashion companies are all eager to work with the Dutch rabbit. From Tommy Hilfiger, Uniqlo, Mulberry, to Urban Outfitters - a lot of the biggest names in the fashion world have teamed up with Miffy to create the cutest shirts, blouses, caps, and other fashion items for fans to wear!
CHECK OUT THE MIFFY FASHION EXHIBITION
To celebrate Miffy’s 65th birthday in 2020, the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, Netherlands held a fashion exhibition showcasing 86 different Miffy’s in fashion outfits. International fashion students were asked to create unique designs for Miffy! The Dutch Bunny got so many fun outfits out of the project including a spacesuit inspired by the film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” a Oaxaca-Mexican folk art dress, and a dress based on haute couture.
IT’S SNACKTIME WITH MIFFY!
Looking for some Miffy snacks to nibble on during storytime with your kawaii buddies? In the Gion, the down district of Tokyo, there’s a snack shop called the “Miffy’s Snack Shop by Miffy Kitchen.” It sells a lot of Miffy-themed treats like the Miffy Cube Bread, Snuffy's Milk Bread Stick, Miffy’s Snack Medley, and Miffy’s Marshmallow Treats. They all go perfectly with a hot cup of matcha or coffee!
RELAX AT THE MIFFY CAFE
In Japan, it’s normal for kawaii superstars to have their very own cafe like Hello Kitty and Cinnamroll. But Miffy has more than just one or two - she has more than 5 cafes and restos around the country! It seems the Japanese just love relaxing with Miffy. In Shibuya-ku Tokyo, there’s the Miffy Cafe Tokyo which is decorated to have the “feel and experience Miffy’s art while eating.” There are a ton of great MIffy-themed treats at the cafe - from full on meals like salmon wrapped in baked salmon to desserts like waffles and delicious lattes.
If you’re more into the idea of fancy juices and doughnuts, then you can visit the Flower Miffy Asakusa Store (with Flower Miffy Juice Garden) in Asakusam Tokyo. It has super aesthetic drinks like the Flower Garden Cocktail with edible flowers. In Ikebukuro Tokyo there's the Flower Miffy Juice Garden Sunshine City Alpa Store with its special Flower Latte and edible Flower Miffy Cactus Pudding.
In the Iwate Prefecture of Japan, there's the Miffy Cafe Kamaishi which offers dishes inspired by home cooking in the Netherlands. If you head over to the Nagasaki prefecture, you can also visit the Experience-Based Shop & Cafe Nainchae which offers tons of Miffy-themed treats. The Dick Bruna Table Yokohama in the Kanagawa Prefecture on the other hand is a fancy restaurant where fans can enjoy Miffy-themed food and wine. It also has another branch in Kobe called the Dick Bruna Table Kobe which serves fancy meals like steak and afternoon tea sets.
MIFFY MAKES BREAD
It isn’t enough that Miffy has a ton of cafes and restos in Japan. She has her own bakeries too! And not just one - but three. In Kyoto, there's the Miffy Sakura Kitchen & Bakery Arashiyama with its exclusive Miffy's Palmier and Bear Bread Pudding cream. If you head to the Okayama Prefecture you'll find the Miffy Kurano Kitchen & Bakery Kurashiki Store with a slew of baked Miffy goods like Tile Cube Pudding Cream and the Miffy Snackbread. In the Oita Prefecture there's the Miffy Mori no Kitchen & Bakery Yufuin Branch with Miffy Anpan and Spicy Curry Cubes. All of the bakeries sell exclusive Miffy merch like Totes, chopstick holders, and more!
MAKE BOUQUETS WITH MIFFY!
Earlier on, we learned that Miffy had cafes like the Flower Miffy Asakusa Store (with Flower Miffy Juice Garden) and the Flower Miffy Juice Garden Sunshine City Alpa Store. While a lot of people go to these shops for the tasty treats, they’re also known for pretty Miffy-themed floral arrangements! You can choose the flowers themselves and have them wrapped in Miffy paper with special Miffy decor. The Osaka branch of the Flower Miffy Juice Garden also has a lot of fun Miffy home goods that you can buy like Miffy flower vases and Miffy brooches.
WHERE CAN I BUY MIFFY GOODIES?
So, you’ve fallen in love with Miffy and are hoping to add her to your kawaii collection. Well, there are a lot of Miffy shops around the world and most of them are in Japan. In Tokyo alone there are three different Miffy shops including the Miffy Style store in Chiyoda City, the Flower Miffy shop in Taito City, and the Miffy Style branch in Musashino.
Can’t fly out to Japan to fill your cart with Miffy merch? Don’t worry Blippo has you covered. In our Miffy collection, you’ll find the cutest Miffy items from Japan. From Miffy plushies, Miffy home goods, Miffy accessories, Miffy pouches - go ahead and take your time in taking your pick!
Well, the sun is setting and now it’s time for our little field trip with Miffy to come to an end. We got to learn a lot today about the popular Dutch Bunny - from her humble beginnings as a children’s storybook character to everyone’s obsession with Miffy in Japan. What do you like the most about Miffy? Do you like her fashion sense? Or maybe you’re drawn by her simple but super cute design? Let us know in the comment section below! Until next time, stay kawaii!