New Studio Ghibli collection includes Inami chokuku Totoro figurine costing $2,450
By Bryan Ke
Studio Ghibli recently announced their collaboration with Japanese artisan company Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten to create a special collection of handmade objects.
Each item in the curated lot, which was announced on Wednesday, was created by craftsmen across Japan. Some of them used traditional techniques to masterfully bring life to Totoro, the focus of the collection.
Included in the collection is the Yatsuo Washi Stencil Dye Treasure Box created by Keijusha, a studio based in Japan’s Toyama Prefecture that makes stencil-dyed Japanese paper. The box is priced at 5,940 yen (approximately $44).
Other items in the Studio Ghibli x Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten collection include handkerchiefs, T-shirts and dish towels. The collection also features palm-sized vases, priced at 4,180 yen (approximately $31) each, and “Donguri-zara” (“Acorn Plates”), priced at 2,200 yen (approximately $16) each, from Hizen Yoshida.
On the trinkets side, the collaboration includes Totoro Charm Bells created by the Kashiwagi Art Casting Research Institute, which used traditional Odawara casting that dates back to the Muromachi period (approximately 1336-1573).
Master craftsman Takaaki Tanaka of Tomoru Studio reportedly created each wooden Totoro using a traditional craft called Inami chokoku, which has been used to decorate some of Japan’s shrines, temples and houses since the Edo period (approximately 1600-1867).
Since the wooden Totoros will only be available in limited quantities, sales for the item will go to lottery winners who apply via Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten’s online shop. The Totoros will be featured in an exhibit at Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Shibuya from March 1.
The new collection will be available for purchase on the Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten online store.
Anyone interested in purchasing certain items in person can try their luck at Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten branches around Japan. However, only two physical stores — the branch at Tokyo Station’s Gransta and the Yu Nakagawa branch — will reportedly have stocks of every item.
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