Donguri Kyowakoku lives up to its name with this Ghibli gear.
Generally speaking, businesses tend to chose straightforward names for themselves. When you see a sign that says Mr. Donut, you know exactly what that place is selling, and you likewise don’t need to be a master detective to figure out that if you walk into Tokyo’s “Coffin Meditation Space,” yep, they’ll have coffins inside for you to lie down and relax in.
A notable exception to this pattern, though, is Donguri Kyowakoku. The chain’s name translates as “Acorn Republic,” but they’re not a gardening center or very back-to-basics health food emporium. No, Donguri Kyowakoku is a specialty shop focused on the anime films of Studio Ghibli, with the “Donguri” part of their name meant to evoke a playful appreciation for nature, a common element in Ghibli’s works.
On rare occasions, though, the symbolic and literal meanings of Donguri Kyowakoku’s name overlap, like they’re doing today.
Donguri Kyowakoku calls these the My Neighbor Totoro Korokoro Acorn Holders, with korokoro being the Japanese onomatope for something rolling around. The name might sound like they’re meant for storing acorns inside of, but as we’ll see, there are already other occupants in there, and so these are really meant to be used as key holders/straps.
There are two designs, one designated as the Medium and Small Totoro version, with the blue and white Totoros…
…and the other the Totoro and Small Totoro version, featuring the big gray guy.
Those names don’t quite tell the whole story, though, because inside of each…
…is a Soot Sprite, which rolls around and turns the acorn into a gently ringing bell.
Though made of ABS and PVC plastics, the craftsmanship is very detailed, with smoothness and sheen that looks like it approaches what you’d get with a ceramic piece.
At about 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) in length, the holders are pretty much the same size as actual acorns, which adds to their realism and helps create a sense that Totoros actually have shown up in the real world.
From the promotional images, it’s not entirely clear if there’s any way to unhook or otherwise open up the cloth loop. If there isn’t you’ll need to run the cord itself through the opening of your key or bag strap and then tie it off, but that minor hassle seems like it’d be well worth it to have these adorable little anime critters keeping you company while you’re out and about.
Both Acorn Holders are priced at 990 yen (US$5.40) and are available through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store (here and here) following a recent restock.
Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2)
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