Studio Ghibli wind chime adds anime charm to the summer breeze
The sounds of a Japanese summer, with the help of magical movie characters.
Studio Ghibli's 1988 film My Neighbour Totoro is famous for its titular star, but the giant grey Totoro, known as the 'Big' Totoro in Japan, is only one of three that you'll see in the film. The other two are blue and white, known as 'Medium' and 'Small' respectively, and they're now here to step into the spotlight with the big fella, in a beautiful wind chime.
Each Totoro has a cute little companion keeping it company, with the white one on top joined by a red ladybug, the blue in the middle joined by a yellow butterfly, and the grey star Totoro appearing with a Soot Sprite by its side.
Wind chimes like this one are commonly used in summer, where the tinkling sound acts as an auditory reminder of the breeze. While they come in many shapes and forms, one common element is the oblong paper tag at the bottom, which helps to catch the wind and cause the chimes to ring.
This tag is beautifully adorned with Totoro and a Soot Sprite, alongside fireworks, another symbol of summer in Japan, and the word 'furin' ('風鈴' ['wind chime']), which combines the kanji for 'wind' ('風') and 'bell' ('鈴').
The wind chime is made from pottery to give it a beautiful sound, and it measures 7.5 centimetres (3 inches) in length.
The refreshing turquoise hues will help keep you cool in the summer heat, and the box it comes in is so gorgeous you'll want to keep it for storage come autumn.
Each wind chime is priced at 3,080 yen (US$21.41) and can be purchased at Donguri Kyowakoku stores and online, thanks to a recent restock. Like many Ghibli items, though, this seasonal item looks set to be very popular with fans so you'll want to get in quick while it's still available.
Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
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