Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's trip to the Museum of Death in Hollywood proved to be a 2018 highlight for the 25-year-old J-pop star.

"I thought it would be about murder and crime, but it was actually about everything related to death," she tells The Japan Times. "It kind of shows, for example, how to avoid dying in specific ways, or photos of certain deaths. It was quite shocking, but something you don't see here (in Japan). I feel like it might be unique to America."

The museum — founded in 1995 "to fill the void in death education" in the United States and boasting "the world's largest collection of serial killer artwork" — happens to be a short distance away from the Los Angeles hotel where Kyary stayed during part of her North American tour in June. An afternoon taking in Manson family memorabilia would seem to be at odds with the "queen of kawaii" brand the singer, whose real name is Kiriko Takemura, has represented since debuting in 2011.