Whether you’re visiting the new Ghibli Park or stopping by the Ghibli Park & Ghibli Exhibition in Tokyo, there’s a lot to enjoy for fans of the world-famous Studio Ghibli. If you happen to be in Hiroshima, there’s another Ghibli attraction you should put on your radar. At the beginning of July, a stunning Aubusson tapestry inspired by ‘Howl's Moving Castle’ was unveiled in Japan for the very first time at the Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art.
Aubusson tapestry is a traditional craft native to the Creuse region of France. It involves weaving images using 600-year-old techniques to create immaculate rugs and wall hangings. This unique craft is recognised by Unesco as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
This new tapestry is not the first Studio Ghibli piece to see the light of day, though. To date, the Aubusson Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie museum has created five works based on Hayao Miyazaki's most popular films.
The first tapestry was a gorgeous scene from 'Princess Mononoke', unveiled in France in 2022. This is followed by a 'Spirited Away' piece in January 2023, and the current one featuring ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’. Two more designs featuring images from 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' and 'My Neighbour Totoro' have yet to be unveiled.
The five-metre-tall square tapestry of ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ was brought over from France and is now on display at the lobby of the Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art until September 25. As it’s placed in the lobby, you can see the tapestry for free without an entry ticket to any of the museum’s exhibitions.
The tapestry’s reveal at the museum was also timed to coincide with the travelling Friday Roadshow and Ghibli Exhibition, which is on show at the museum until September 25.
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