Totoro to Tanuki’s: The Amazing Japanese Folklore Behind Beloved Studio Ghibli Movies
An introduction into the Japanese folklore, spirits and old legends that inspired the world of Studio Ghibli and shaped its most beloved films.
Studio Ghibli and Japanese Folklore
Studio Ghibli is one of the most famous and beloved Japanese animation studios. Some of the most popular films they have created are My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Spirited Away. Many of these movies are inspired by Japanese and Shinto folklore, myths and traditional stories.
This folklore is filled with spirits, magical animals, and gods that interact with humans. Studio Ghibli often mixes these stories with modern stories and history. Their films feature a distinct animation style and storytelling structure.
Story Structure in Studio Ghibli Films
Most Studio Ghibli films follow a similar story pattern. They start by introducing the main characters and the creation and build up to the problem. In the middle, the characters often face magical or mysterious events that help or hinder how they try to solve the problem. The films end when the problem is solved, and a moral lesson is shared.
This storytelling style and combination of traditions and modernity means their movies often resemble ‘modern fables’. They keep many of the key features of fables, like a moral lesson, personification of plants and animals and symbolism in how creatures, characters and objects are used and animated to tell the story.
Mythology and Folklore in Studio Ghibli Characters
Some characters are based on spirits or supernatural beings in Japanese folklore. Others are inspired by Shinto beliefs, where kami, or nature spirits, live in mountains, rivers, trees, and animals.
Characters such as the clever tanuki in Pom Poko, the mysterious No-Face and bath house spirits in Spirited Away, or forest spirits like Totoro in My Neighbour Totoro all take their inspiration from this folklore.
This article gives an insight into the Japanese and Shinto folklore that inspired My Neighbour Totoro, Pom Poko , Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.
My Neighbor Totoro: Forest Kami, Bakeneko Shapeshifters and Nature Preservation
Totoro’s Link to Forest Shrines, Chinju-no-mori and Shintoism
The character of Totoro is one of the main characters in My Neighbour Totoro. Drawn as a large, round, rabbit-like figure, Totoro is a representation of the Shinto forest spirits known as kami. Kami can live in trees, mountains, rivers, and other natural places.
In Japan, there are many Shinto shrines. Some of these shrines are surrounded by Chinju-no-mori, or shrine forests. These forests have been in decline over the last few centuries, as Shinto beliefs have become less popular and were even banned. Traditionally, people would visit and worship the forest shrines to ask for protection and show respect to the forest spirits that live nearby.
Totoro is not based on a specific forest spirit, but is an interpretation of Shinto beliefs by the film’s creator, Hayao Miyazaki. The film includes other symbols from Japanese folklore too. The tree Totoro lives in has a shimenawa rope. These ropes are made of rice and straw and symbolise that the tree is a sacred part of Shintoism. In one scene, Mei and her father bow to this tree to thank it and show their respect.
The Catbus and Bakeneko Cats
The Catbus is inspired by bakeneko. Bakeneko are magical shapeshifters often inspired by cats. Cats play an important role in Japanese folklore, and are considered to be very supernatural beings.
In My Neighbor Totoro, the Catbus acts as a magical helper. It’s a bakeneko shapeshifter that has taken on the shape of a bus, although it still has many cat-like features. As a helper character, the Catbus helps Totoro, Mei and Satsuki to travel around the forest and joins in on their adventures.
The Catbus was another creation by Miyazaki, and whilst it was inspired by bakeneko it may also have been inspired by the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. The Catbus has become one of the most beloved and recognisable Studio Ghibli characters.
How Totoro Has Helped With Nature Preservation In Japan
The film is set in Tokorozawa City, Saitama prefecture in the 1950s. This has now become a suburb of Tokyo. Tokorozawa used to be a farming community. Today, there are still a few smaller natural areas left. The character of Totoro is used by the “Totoro no Furusato (Totoro’s Home) National Trust Movement” as part of a collaboration with Hayao Miyazaki to preserve the remaining natural areas.
Miyazaki’s designs of the forest and the animation choices behind them also are similar to the how forests filled with the tree and forest kodama spirits are portrayed. When Totoro, Mei and Satsuki are travelling through the forest, many small spirits that are similar to kodama can be seen walking around.
My Neighbour Totoro was released in 1988, but many of the lessons of the film about the protection of nature are still relevant nearly 40 years later. By using characters inspired by Shinto and Japanese folklore, it makes the message of the film stand out just a little bit more.
Pom Poko: Tanuki Myths and Shapeshifting In Japanese Folklore
Japanese Folklore and the Tanuki Tricksters
Tanuki are a type of Japanese raccoon dog. In Japanese folklore, they are considered to be a type of bake-danuki. Bake-danuki are magical creatures that can shape shift into humans and other objects. They are characterised as being harmless but mischievous, friendly characters who enjoy fun and eating a few too many tasty snacks.
They are the second most popular and famous bake-danuki, or shapeshifting creatures, from Japanese folklore. The most famous is the kitsune, a legendary shapeshifting fox. Kitsune are usually portrayed as being dangerous and untrustworthy in comparison to the friendly, naughty tanuki.
Pom Poko is set in Tama Hills, on the outskirts of Tokyo. A new development project is threatening the forest homes of the tanuki who live there. Unlike tanuki in other regions, they are no longer worshipped and respected for being bake-danuki spirits.
Transformation, Disguise, and Japanese Folklore Symbolism
Many unexplained phenomena are often thought of to be mysterious shapeshifters and mischievous spirits within Japanese folklore, and Pom Poko uses the tanuki’s and their transformation skills to explain this.
One of the biggest displays of folklore symbolism is when the tanuki’s use their illusion skills to create a ghost parade in the town. They do this to try and scare away the humans, and bring back the belief that the town is haunted and reconnect with the old supernatural beliefs. A local theme park owner takes the credit for this parade.
The tanukis within the film are symbolism not just for the destruction of nature and the animals that lose their habitats, but also for how old traditions and beliefs can become forgotten. By giving the tanukis human-like traits and characteristics, it makes it easier for viewers to relate to them. Their fighting spirit and actions also show us how we can fight back and try and ensure we live in harmony. Even if we feel like we are, like tanukis, the little guys.
Nature, Illusion and Moral Lessons of Pom Poko
The tanuki’s abilities with transformation and illusion are one of the main points of the film. The tanuki become so good with illusion that they’re able to create a ghost parade and recreate a forest illusion in a last ditch attempt to save their home, they create the illusion of the forest that has been destroyed for the new development. These are skills that the tanuki have to relearn, in a similar way that the film suggests humans should relearn and rethink about many of the old traditions and skills that are being forgotten.
Some of the tanuki also become tsurube-otoshi, a type of yokai, in their attempts to stop the forest deconstruction. These tanuki end up being wiped out, due to their use of violent means. Other tanuki use their shapeshifting abilities to be like the kitsune who have also lost their homes, and shape shift into humans. This is part of the moral lesson of the story, that co-operation is one of the best ways that nature and humans can peacefully co-exist.
The relationship between the tanuki and everyday people is part of the moral story of the film. It has a similar moral lesson to many other Studio Ghibli films. Pom Poko is a reminder about the importance and power that nature has, and that we should make sure we respect and look after our nature and the creatures that live in it.
Spirited Away: Kamikakushi, Bathhouse Spirits, and The Japanese Folklore That Inspired A Non-Western Fairytale
Kamikakushi, the Importance of Words and a Non-Western Fairytale
Kamikakushi is a Japanese word that translates to ‘hidden by kami’. The plot of the film revolves around Chihiro and her parents having been ‘spirited away’ into the spirit world. Chihiro becomes ‘spirited away’ under the curse of a witch, who takes one of the kanji from her name. Chihiro is now known as ‘Sen’. She must navigate the spirit world to reclaim her name and save herself and her parents from kamikakushi.
‘Spirited Away’ was created by Hayao Miyazaki as a non-Western style fairytale. It shows parts of Japanese culture and traditions that seem to be being forgotten. It isn’t just about Chihiro remembering her name to return to the human world, but remembering names and traditions to stay connected to them.
The film gives the moral lesson that greed and selfishness are bad. It also shows the importance of staying true to yourself and not forgetting who you are. Even when she is surrounded by negative influences, Chihiro is able to remember her name and who she is.
When he was talking about the film, Hayao Miyazaki said; ‘This film will persuade one of the fact that a word is one’s will, oneself, and one’s power’.
Kami Spirits and Bathhouses in Japanese Folklore
The bathhouse is one of the central points to the story. A lot of the different kami spirits that are met in the story exist in the bathhouse. By setting the story in a bathhouse, it gives a meeting place for all the different kami in the spirit world.
The bathhouse is also visited by other spirits such as the Kasuga-Sama, Oshina-sama and Otori-sama. Whilst many of these spirits are fictional representations, they take their name and inspirations from many different kami.
Many of the spirits in Spirited Away are based on human-like creatures from Japanese folklore. Kamaji, the old man-like figure who runs the boiler room, is based on tsuchigumo, a humanoid spider. In Japanese folklore, spiders are said to represent industry and progress.
We also meet the unnamed water spirit, who is originally believed to be a ‘stink spirit’. This spirit is Sen’s first customer. As the spirit arrives, a trail of mud and a foul smell travels throughout the bath house. Sen removes the pollution that is causing the spirit to be so disgusting. It’s revealed that the spirit is really a very old and very powerful river god.
Another spirit that exists in the bathhouse is that of Boh. Boh is the giant baby of the evil witch, Yubaba. He is based on the Japanese legend of Kintaro. Kintaro is a hero in Japanese folklore. He was raised in the woods by a yama-uba witch, and was a child that had superhuman strength. Kintaro is a very popular character in Japan. He is the inspiration for many characters in different anime, mangas and games.
No-Face and the Gaki and Jikiniki Hunger Spirits
No-Face is one of the most easily recognisable spirits we meet in Spirited Away. He was created by Hayao Miyazaki. No-Face seems to have some similarities with the Gaki and Jikiniki spirits from Japanese Buddhist mythology. These spirits are also known as the ‘hungry ghosts’.
Gaki are spirits that were jealous and greedy when they were alive. These spirits are cursed with insatiable hunger for something that’s often seen as embarrassing, bizarre or disgusting. This is punishment for their actions when they were alive.
Jikiniki are the spirits of those who were greedy, selfish or who didn’t show proper respect to religious deities in life. Their punishment is that after they have died, they seek out dead bodies to eat. Whilst they do have a similarity to zombies in western and voodoo cultures, there is a difference. Another part of the punishment is that the jikiniki spirits despise and hate the cravings that they have no control over.
The character of No-Face seems to adapt to his surroundings. As he stays in the bathhouse, he takes on the personality of the greedy workers. No-Face develops an incredible hunger, and begins to eat the workers.
The more he eats, the more greedy he becomes as absorbs the negative traits from the workers and becomes more like them. No-Face’s insatiable hunger is very similar to the Gaki. The regret that he seems to feel after he has calmed down also seems similar to the Jikiniki folklore.
Princess Mononoke: Mountain Gods, Animal Deities, and Kodama Spirits
Historical and Folklore Storytelling In Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke has the same moral story that many of the other Studio Ghibli films follow. It is one about respecting nature, remembering the old traditions and making sure human greed and consumption doesn’t destroy the natural world around us. Princess Mononoke is centered around the delicate balance between nature and human consumption.
Like many other films, the characters in Princess Mononoke are inspired by different pieces of folklore. The film is set in historical Japan, and is the story of the last prince of the Emishi people, Ashitaka.
This makes the film different from a lot of other Studio Ghibli films. Instead of using modern references as part of the fable, the film uses historical stories. The film was created by Hayao Miyazaki, who wanted to create a film that combined history with folklore in a style similar to the jidaigeki period dramas.
Tatari-gami Demons, Noroi Curses and Indigenous Mythology
The Emishi were an Indigenous group that lived in Japan. They lived in the northern parts of the country, and are the ancestors of the Ainu. The Ainu are one of the ethnic groups that exist within Japan today. The Emishi were deeply connected with the natural world, and some of the mythology in Princess Mononoke comes from Indigenous folklore.
Noroi are a curse or hex that appears in Japanese mythology. Noroi curses can be anything from simply bad luck to very malicious, dangerous curses. A curse usually cast by a sorcerer intentionally or is unintentionally manifested by a person who has extremely intense negative feelings.
Ashitaka became cursed when he defeated the boar-god, Nago. Nago was the leader of one of the boar clans. He is turned into a tatari-gami, or a demon, after he is shot with an iron ball when he is fighting against Lady Eboshi and the humans in Irontown. As a demon, Nago is filled with anger and rage. He uses his anger and rage to place a noroi curse on humans and on Ashitaka.
Kodama, Forest Gods and Mythological Beings
Kodama appear in Princess Mononoke as little glowing creatures with black eyes. These kodama are the children of old trees and a sign that the forest is alive and healthy. By the end of the film, one single kodama is seen and is a sign that the forest is becoming healthy again. Hayao Miyazaki has joked that this kodama is actually a baby Totoro.
The kodama are linked with the Forest Spirit. The Forest Spirit is a goat like character with eyes on the front of his head, and is known as a Yatsukamizuomitsuno. It is said to be a god of life and death. The Forest Spirit is able to regenerate and rebirth itself, as part of its existence as the god of life and death.
The Forest Spirit turns into a gigantic nightwalker, known as a Daidarabotchi, after Lady Eboshi of the humans tries to kill it and removes its head. Dadarabotchi are a type of yokai. In the nightwalker form, the Forest Spirit causes massive death and destruction as it sucks the life out of the land around it. This also causes the kodama to disappear.
The destruction of the forest, and the lack of respect that the humans in Irontown have for nature and leads to their own downfall. The humans face the same fate as the boars from the boar clans, meaning that Nago’s noroi curse that he placed on them was fulfilled.
Other forest gods appear in the form of Mono, the wolf goddess, Otekko, another boar god and of course the earlier mentioned Nago. These characters are inspired by Japanese folklore stories about deities that protect different animals and nature. Mono raises San, a human, who becomes the princess of the wolves and helps Ashitaka.
Why Studio Ghibli’s Use of Japanese Folklore Still Matters Today
Studio Ghibli uses Japanese folklore and Shinto mythology as a way to connect the past and the present. By creating stories that work like a fable, it becomes easy to connect with and understand the stories and the moral lesson behind the stories.
Respecting the relationship between humans and nature is a common theme in many Studio Ghibli films. This is because the relationship between humans and nature is an important part of Japanese folklore. Many of the myths, creatures, deities and spirits are all connected to nature.
Combining folklore with modern stories, references and ideas makes it easier for a viewer to understand the stories that the films try and tell. Even if you’re not familiar with Japanese folklore, the characters and moral lesson become easily identifiable.
The breathtaking animation style and beautiful soundtracks that accompany these films have led to them inspiring generations. They have been able to raise awareness of things like deforestation in Japan and the impact of urban expansion.
By making these modern folklore stories easily available to everyone, it helps to keep old traditions and stories alive. It encourages more people to learn about Japanese folklore. By using films as a way of storytelling, it means the stories are passed down to newer generations.
Other films such as Howl’s Moving Castle, The Boy and The Heron, Ponyo and The Cat Returns also feature many different inspirations from Japanese folklore. The 2013 film, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, features an animation style that is based on the traditional Japanese art and an interpretation of a Japanese folklore tale.
If you have any favourite folklore stories, from Japan or anywhere else in the world? Or do you have a favourite Studio Ghibli film? We would love to hear about them in the comments.
