My Neighbor Totoro: Small Ceramic Bowl in Traditional Mino Style

Somewhere in the forest, Totoro – the fluffy forest spirit from Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro – waits patiently under his umbrella for the next rain. The 1988 film tells barely more than one summer in the countryside: two sisters move into an old house, and around them scurry creatures only children see – the big gray forest spirit, the quick soot sprites, the Catbus. The scene at the bus stop in pouring rain is one of the studio’s quietest and best known images.

This small ceramic bowl in Mino style brings that still mood to your table. It is handmade, carries a delicate cherry blossom motif and has a deep green interior that recalls a canopy of leaves. At 12 × 13.5 × 5.6 cm it stays pleasantly handy and still finds room on a crowded tray.

It holds around 270 ml – the right size for matcha, a serving of miso soup, rice or an evening snack. It is made from Mino ware, a ceramic tradition from the Japanese prefecture of Gifu that has above all produced everyday tableware for centuries: not meant for the display cabinet, but for the daily table. To this day much of Japan’s everyday dishware comes from this area. The bowl does not belong in the microwave, though.

As an officially licensed Studio Ghibli product from Japan, real care went into it. A good gift for everyone who likes Japanese craft and Ghibli – and who would rather use such a piece than stand it on a shelf. If you already own a larger bowl, here is the smaller counterpart for side dishes, dips or dessert.

Material: Ceramic (Mino ware)
Dimensions: 12 × 13.5 × 5.6 cm
Capacity: approx. 270 ml
Motif: Cherry blossoms, deep green inside
Microwave: Not suitable
Origin: Japan
License: Official Studio Ghibli product