[Report from Robin in Hong Kong] The World of Miyazaki Hayao Comes to Hong Kong

2013.09.23

The first international branch of "Donguri Republic" is a big hit! So is the limited edition Hong Kong-only merchandise!

Miyazaki Hayao is one of the great legends of Japanese anime and he’s known all over the world. Although he has produced many works over the span of his career, including hits like “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,” “Laputa: Castle in the Sky,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” to his fans in Hong Kong, all of his works are basically household names.
In this edition of FROM ASIA, we will introduce you to Hong Kong’s “Donguri Republic,” a store which recreates the world of director Miyazaki Hayao.

The very first international “Donguri Republic,” located in Hong Kong’s Harbour City, is full of character goods from Studio Ghibli’s various works. But they not only sell the same goods as the stores in Japan, they also sell their own limited edition Hong Kong-only goods as well.
Also, to celebrate their opening, they held the “Famous Scenes of My Neighbor Totoro & Works of Studio Ghibli Exhibition”: a free event held at Harbour City’s LCX department store that ran until the end of July.
They also set up a Totoro sign at the LCX entrance and a “cat bus” sign at the Nathan Road bus stop, on the Kowloon Hotel side, and if you took a photo with the signs and showed it to the staff at “Donguri Republic,” you could receive a free “susuwatari” (aka: “makkuro kurosuke”) badge!

“Donguri Republic” sign at the Nathan Road bus stop.

”Donguri Republic" Hong Kong shop

“Donguri Republic” stocks a whole range of “My Neighbor Totoro” goods. Everything from “cat bus” to the forest flora all looks just like the original. According to store representatives, the shop currently sells four different Hong Kong-only limited edition goods, and they plan on releasing one new limited edition product each month. Until the end of July, fans in Hong Kong were able to attend the “Famous Scenes of My Neighbor Totoro & Works of Studio Ghibli Exhibition” and relive all the works from director Miyazaki Hayao.

Cat bus’s next stop: Hong Kong!

Inside the store you are free to take as many photos as you want, and their range of souvenirs is nothing short of impressive! They have cat bus goods, Totoro umbrellas, large bags and much, much more.
When I visited “Donguri Republic” the other day, I saw a girl there who seemed to be having a ball taking photos inside the store. There were also a lot of couples and families with small children too! It was like everyone was there to get lost in the world of Totoro and make their own memories with the iconic character.
I think that even if people who aren’t fans of Miyazaki Hayao’s anime came to this store and experienced the atmosphere and saw all the kawaii goods, they might just become fans as well.

Robin