Flower pots, furoshiki…and a tea that dissolves gallstones and kidney stones.

For the past decade or so, Studio Ghibli has been bringing smiles to the faces of mums around the nation, with exclusive goods for Mother’s Day.

This year, the studio is giving us three special items to choose from, with the first two being charming “diorama boxes” that come with flowers. While some might prefer to call these “flower pots”, Ghibli calls them “diorama boxes”, as they can be used to hold things other than flowers in the long run, if you prefer.

The “Big Stump Diorama Box” has Totoro sitting with its back against a tree stump, alongside a blue Medium Totoro and a white Small Totoro, with all three of them blowing into their magical ocarinas. Little details like ivy leaves, florets, and hidden Soot Sprites add extra charm to the scene, while the “Magical Tutu” bouquet blossoms overhead with colourful pink-and-red hues.

The Stained Glass Flowers Diorama Box uses polyester resin to create the look of stained glass, with the signboard from the movie appearing on one side, surrounded by feline pawprints, and gerbera flower details towards the base. Cheeky JIji appears mid-shenanigans, giving him a sense of life and movement, while “Pretty Ichigo” carnations (“ichigo” means “strawberry”) bloom overhead.

The final item in the collection is the Totoro Souvenir Gift Set, which contains a tea canister, teacup, and furoshiki wrapping cloth.

This gift is a new twist on the usual set offered for Mother’s Day, which features a furoshiki resembling an ear of corn, in honour of the corn that Mei, the young protagonist of the film, goes to great lengths to give to her mother.

This year, the focus has switched from corn to acorns, with the tea inside the canister being an original blend dubbed “どんぐり茶” (“Donguri Cha” [“Acorn Tea”]) in honour of the acorns loved by all the Totoros in the movie. The tea contains the leaves of Urajirogashi (Quercus salicina), a species of oak found in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, which is said to be effective in dissolving gallstones and kidney stones.

The teacup has a warm, handmade feel to it, while the furoshiki wrapped around the gift box features a bamboo leaf design. The gift box itself is printed with the words “Donguricha” and “Donguri Kyowakoku” (“どんぐり共和国”), as Donguri Kyowakoku (“Acorn Republic”) is the Ghibli-affiliated store where you can purchase these products.

Every set in the collection comes with an original message card, with the below design, showing Mei with her corn, included with the Totoro-themed gifts…

▼ …and this design, featuring titular witch Kiki, included with the Jiji Diorama Box.

The Totoro Souvenir Gift Set is priced at 6,600 yen (US$44.40), while the Big Stump and Magical Tutu set is priced at 12,320 yen and the Stained Glass Flowers and Pretty Ichigo Carnation Set is priced at 11,220 yen.

Postage is included with all the prices above, and reservations are currently being accepted until 11:59 p.m. on 29 March at the Donguri Kyowakoku online store. Delivery is scheduled for 7-11 May, which is perfectly timed for Mother’s Day in Japan on 11 May. Of course, you don’t have to be a mother to purchase or receive these goods, as these make perfect gifts for all lovers of Studio Ghibli…and anyone who might need help dislodging a kidney stone.

Source, images: PR Times
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