Picking up a Studio Ghibli film on disc this summer could get you a tenugui too.
The best time to buyStudio Ghibli anime on physical media in Japan is pretty much whenever you see it for sale. There aren’t many home video releases with as verdant an evergreen appeal as these prestigious animated films that have captivated audiences for decades, and that consistent demand means that Blu-rays and DVDs of Ghibli’s films don’t often get heavily discounted in either the new or second-hand market in their native land.
And right now there’s even less reason to put off a Ghibli movie purchase, since along with the disc, you can get a beautiful, and adorable, Ghibli tenugui.
Tenugui are a kind of traditional Japanese towel, made of a long strip of smooth, thin cotton. Prior to the popularization of terrycloth textiles in Japan, tenugui were used as bath towels, but their easy foldability and beautiful patterns meant that they could also be used as wrapping cloths for carrying parcels or presenting gifts, and they also make for stylish dish towels and handkerchiefs. In the modern era, they also often serve astapestries or other such interior decoration, and that’s something that this tenugui featuring a pair of Totoros would be perfect for. The two are shown relaxing among an array of morning glories, a classical symbol of summer in Japanese arts and culture, with one of the forest spirits using a blossom like a trumpet.
However, this Totoro tenugui (which measures 90 by 33 centimeters [35.4 by 13 inches]) isn’t available for purchase by itself. Instead, it’s being offered as part of the Studio Ghibli Summer Campaign promotion for the Ghibli ga Ippai Collection, the collective name for the home video releases of Ghibli’s anime in Japan. Starting July 17, retailers in Japan will be giving out the Totoro tenugui with any purchase of a Studio Ghibli Blu-ray, DVD, or 4K UHD title, including the Ghibli Park ga Dekiru Made documentary on the making of the Ghibli theme park in Aichi Prefecture.
▼ Though not every movie’s cover is shown on the announcement, the text says that the tenugui is available with “all Studio Ghibli DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K UHD” releases (the only exception is Grave of the Fireflies, which has a complicated rights situation and is not part of the Ghibli ga Ippai Collection).
What’s more, the Totoro tenugui isn’t something you have to mail in proof of purchase for and then wait weeks or months for it to be delivered. That’d go against the whole “Summer Campaign” theme, right? Instead, you’ll receive your tenugui right there in the store at the time of purchase.
There are a few things to keep in mind, though. First, the announcement of the campaign from Disney (who handles the home video distribution of Studio Ghibli anime within the Japanese market), doesn’t specify which retailers will be giving away the tenugui. The lack of specificity probably indicates that most major shops will have them, but there could be some gaps in the distribution which might require fans to visit more than one store in their search. Second, there’s a limited, but also unspecified, number of tenugui that will be given out, and with the immense love Japan has for the studio’s filmography, odds are they’ll be going quick, so once again, grabbing physical media Ghibli anime ASAP is the right call.
