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Studio Ghibli releases traditional New Year decorations with My Neighbour Totoro characters

Oona McGee Dec 3, 2024
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Putting an anime twist on Japanese holiday traditions.

New Year’s is the biggest holiday of the year in Japan, with people enjoying celebratory foods and taking part in special traditional festivities that include decorating the house with auspicious items. Two of the top decorations are shimekazari, a wreath made with straw rope, and kagami mochi, a two-tiered rice cake made with glutinous rice.

▼ Shimekazari

Now, Studio Ghibli fans will be able to add a dash of anime to their traditional decorations, as four products have been released for sale at Donguri Kyowakoku, the studio’s affiliated retail chain.

The first two products offer a cute take on the kagami mochi rice cake, which usually consists of two mochi rice layers, topped with an orange-coloured citrus fruit, as seen below.

The traditional rice cake is given a Ghibli twist in the New Year’s Small Totoro, priced at 6,930 yen (US$46.21).

The white Small Totoro is an adorable substitute for the rice cake, complete with citrus fruit topping and the pedestal commonly used for displaying the celebratory food.

These pedestals commonly feature a carved-out section in the shape of a sacred, wish-fulfilling jewel known as a hoju but here it bears the shape of Totoro instead.

As is often the case with Ghibli, the magic is in the details, and here we have a celebratory red-and-white paper between Totoro and the pedestal which reads “賀正” (“Gashou” or “Happy New Year”). Beside it is a Soot Sprite enjoying the plum blossoms that represent the coming of spring in the New Year.

While the Totoro above is made from polyester resin, there’s a softer version in store too, called the New Year Small Totoro Plush Toy (2,200 yen).

▼ The plushie is so adorable you might find it hard to resist buying both to display as a set.

The traditional Japanese New Year’s wreath decoration has also been Ghibli-fied, with the Cat Bus Arabesque Shimenawa (8,800 yen).

Shimenawa are sacred straw ropes used to make shimekazari, and this one is adorned with Totoros, and a Soot Sprite.

The arabesque material resembles the cloth used on New Year dragons that are paraded at traditional events, giving the Cat Bus the fitting aura of a mythical beast.

Finally, fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service will be happy to see Jiji has a New Year wreath of its own, priced at 6,050 yen.

It’s a beautiful way to ring in a New Year, and all the products are currently available to purchase at Donguri stores and online, while stocks last.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2), Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4)
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