Totoro, No Face, and Calcifer are ready to help get meals ready and the house clean.

The end of the year is a busy time for housework in Japan. For starters, instead of spring cleaning, Japan has a tradition of New Year’s cleaning, during which you’re supposed to scrub every corner of your home and get rid of any junk that’s piled up during the course of the year. If you’re celebrating New Year’s in the old-school orthodox way, you’re also supposed to prepare enough food ahead of time so that no one has to do any cooking for the first three days of January.

In other words, a good apron is going to be especially handy these days, and if it’s an apron decked out with Studio Ghibli artwork, then it’s going to be both handy and awesome.

The style of these aprons might be a little different from what you’re used to, as instead of trying with strings at the back, they button along the side. Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku actually calls them kappogi, which usually refers to a traditional kind of Japanese cooking and housework garment that was originally worn over kimono. However, unlike traditional kappogi, these ones are sleeveless, making them sort of a Western apron/kappogi hybrid.

Donguri Kyowakoku has just restocked four designs, one each for Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, and two for My Neighbor Totoro. Starting with the Spirited Away one, No Face immediately stands out, standing on the bridge that connects the spirit and human worlds.

A pair of pockets on the front of the apron feature a team of Susuwatari/Soot Sprites and mouse-form Boh being carried by the transformed Yu-Bird.

Because the aprons have a solid back, there’s room for more artwork there, where we see the logo for Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, the Japanese-language title for Spirited Away, and the Radish Spirit waving to us with an unfolded fan.

The Howl’s Moving Castle design shows Calcifer in the kitchen, ready to cook up a storm with you, while laid-back pooch Heen hangs out on one of the pockets.

…and around back we’ve got the magical destination dial of Howls front door plus embroidery of the titular castle itself.

Both the Totoro designs are especially playful, with the “Totoro in the Field” pattern including all three sizes/colors of Totoros.

▼ The blue Middle Totoro shows up on the back.

Only the big and small Totoros appear on the “So Many Strawberries” apron, but you really can’t say it’s lacking in cuteness, especially with the Small Totoro who’s peeking out of one of the pockets.

The aprons are made of cotton with polyester used for their embroidered accents, and measure 84 centimeters (33.1 inches) in length. They’re all priced at 3,850 yen (US$25) and available through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop (Spirted Away here, Howl’s Moving Castle here, field Totoro here, and strawberry Totoro here).

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4)
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