This year, beloved animators Studio Ghibli are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their classic film, Spirited Away. Their celebratory campaign has already kicked off with the announcement of the specially designed anniversary logo and the release of a 'Hopping Lantern' inspired by the movie.

The film is known for its depiction of a Japanese bathhouse and the inclusion of many traditional motifs. So it can be said that the characters of this movie are perfect candidates to grace some traditional Japanese artisanal crafts and further promote them.

Some offerings that have appeared in Japanese variety store Village Vanguard do just that. The character chosen for these items is the mysterious No-Face, who is known as 'Kaonashi' in Japanese.

This Kaonashi cup is an example of Shigaraki ware, which is stoneware pottery manufactured in the Shigaraki area. It's made by Meizan, a pottery company that specialises in this historic craft.

There's also a long wallet made by an artisanal leather workshop called Bunko-ya Oozeki. They work with white leather and emboss it with detailed motifs before painting the product by hand. This traditional craft works beautifully with the Spirited Away motifs, using elegant colours to depict No-Face and other patterns.

Both of these items perfectly blend traditional Japanese crafts with the country's beloved pop culture icons. If you want to support these historic traditions while showing love for classic Studio Ghibli characters, check out Village Vanguard's online store. There's even similar products inspired by other characters like Totoro!


By - grape Japan editorial staff.