Support Japan's real-world Totoro Forest with special Studio Ghibli collection
Not many fans may be aware of it, but the character of Totoro from My Neighbour Totoro was born in a forest area in Sayama Hills in Tokyo's neighbouring prefecture of Saitama, which now goes by the name 'Totoro's Forest'. Ghibli director and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki came up with the idea for Totoro during one of his daily walks in the forested area, leading it to become known as 'the place where Totoro was born', and prompting him to set up the Totoro no Furusato Foundation, which conserves the natural habitat through initiatives such as the 'Totoro Fund'.
Part of the way the foundation raises funds is through sales of Totoro Fund goods, which feature illustrations by Miyazaki that you won't find anywhere else. Right now is the perfect time to stock up and support the cause, as a huge number of goods has been restocked at the studio's Donguri Kyowakoku retail chain, giving you a wide variety of products to choose from, at various price points.
The first set of goods is a range of clothing, with hoodies and long and short-sleeved T-shirts vying for our attention.
▼ The long-sleeved T-shirts have 'National Trust Totoro Fund' written on the front…
▼ … a couple of cute Soot Sprites on the left sleeve…
▼ … and a trio of Totoros on the back.
This design is called 'Furoshiki Totoro', with furoshiki referring to the cloth sacks being carried by the Totoros.
The Furoshiki Totoro long-sleeved shirts retail for 4,510 yen (US$31.27) each and can be purchased in white or black.
▼ Next up, we have a couple of 'Furoshiki Totoro' hoodies, priced at 6,600 yen.
Like the shirts, the hoodie is made from 100-percent cotton and features adorable images drawn by Miyazaki.
▼ The hoodie is available in grey…
▼… and black.
Now we move on to the T-shirts, with the 'Konnichi wa Totoro' ('Hello Totoro') design featuring the big guy popping out from a corner to say hello.
The shirts can be left untucked for an oversized, casual look, or tucked in for a neat but relaxed style.
The Konnichi wa Totoro is available in three colourways, priced at 3,960 yen each.
▼ Navy
▼Black
▼ … and White.
▼ Meadow Totoro has a duo of Soot Sprites on the front…
▼…and a beautifully whimsical image of Totoro on the back.
▼ The shirt is available in white or black and is priced at 3,960 yen each.
Now we move on to some bags and accessories, starting with the Furoshiki Totoro Neck Strap (1,430 yen), which can be used for ID cards, smartphones, pens, name tags, keys — anything that's small and easy to lose.
The Furoshiki Totoros will take care of your valuable items, with different designs on the front and back of the strap.
There are three bags to choose from.
▼ The Vertical Catbus Tote Bag (2,750 yen), which measures 36-37 centimetres (14.2-14.6 inches).
The bag is as cute as it is functional, with an inner pocket helping to keep things easily accessible.
▼ The Sendangusa Foldable Eco Bag (1,540 yen)
Light yet durable, this handy bag measures about 38 x 42 centimetres and can carry half a dozen two-litre plastic bottles.
'Sendangusa', a genus of annual plants in the daisy family, features in the adorable design, with Totoro seen relaxing in the leaves.
As the name suggests, this bag folds up into a neat little square so you can keep it in your handbag without it taking up too much space.
▼ The Matcha Foldable Eco Bag (1,870 yen)
Measuring around 27 x 56 centimetres, this bag is slightly shorter and wider than the previous one, making it a good fit for bento lunch boxes.
It also comes in handy for supermarket runs, where everyone in the store will be silently admiring the adorable design.
This sweet design embodies the charm , beauty and magic of the place where Totoro was born.
This one folds up neatly as well so you can have it ready to go in your bag whenever you need to use it.
Now it's time to check out the stickers, which are an affordable way to contribute to the fund while getting some very cute hand-drawn images in return.
▼ Soot Sprites and Furoshiki Totoro Set
▼ 'Mei' and 'Totoro Family'
▼ 'Catbus' and 'Large Totoro'
▼ 'Round Large Totoro'
▼ 'Round Furoshiki Totoro'
Both the two-piece sticker sets and larger single stickers retail for 660 yen, and whichever ones you choose, they're sure to grab attention.
▼ The remaining goods will be highly sought after by stationery lovers.
First up, there are two postcards sets, with the 'Flowers' collection containing five watercolour designs…
▼ … and the 'Totoro' set containing six.
▼ The 'Totoro Letter' Letter Set (660 yen) contains a total of nine sheets of paper, in three designs…
▼ … and three translucent envelopes, so you can see the artwork without even having to open it.
▼ The Totoro Letter Set (660 yen) is adorned in illustrations drawn by Miyazaki.
There are a total of 12 sheets in this set, in three designs.
▼ Mei is shown in a forest setting with the Catbus and the baby Catbus.
▼ The Furoshiki Totoros can be seen walking in line amongst Soot Sprites and their beloved acorns.
▼ And the Soot Sprites loom large over the rural Kusakabe family home, as if having escaped from its confines.
▼ The set is complete with five envelopes.
Next up, we have several 'ippitsu-sen' (一筆せん), which are note pads or letter pads that are ideal for writing short messages.
▼ This seven-sheet pad has three illustrations by Miyazaki.
Because Japanese is traditionally written from top to bottom, there's also a vertical ippitsu-sen , with three original illustrations by Miyazaki.
Then we have some loose-sheet ippitsu-sen , with seven in total featuring three Miyazaki-drawn illustrations.
▼ All the ippitsu-sen retail for 660 yen.
Now we come to the final product in the lineup — the Soot Sprite Sticky Notes (660 yen).
This adorable set will have you wanting to bookmark everything you can with a sticky note.
With 26 products to choose from, Totoro will be receiving a lot of for his real-world forest from supportive fans this summer. As always, stocks are limited, so you'll want to get in quick to show your support, although you can always make the trip to Sayama to experience the forest and purchase the goods in person.
Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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