Good news: There’s no need to fly miles away from home to experience the world of Studio Ghibli first-hand. One town in Pangasinan is now the home to a Japan-inspired Christmas village, where the characters of the Japanese animation studio come alive just in time for the holidays.
LOOK: Bayambang, Pangasinan Studio Ghibli Christmas Village
In Bayambang, Pangasinan, the famed fantasy characters of Studio Ghibli take center stage in a whimsical 500-square meter Christmas village, which make up the town plaza. The mini village was styled by the husband-and-wife duo Oscar Gironella III and Jessica of Couple Minds Events Studio, after they were recruited by Bayambang mayor Mayor Niña Jose-Quiambao, a self-professed Ghibli fan.
According to a previous interview with Rappler, the event stylists were tapped for the project last September, while having little to no knowledge about the Ghibli universe beforehand. To make the village into a reality, the couple had done their research by watching several YouTube videos and the animated movies themselves.
From the looks of it, the results were worth it! The Christmas village takes the animation studio’s whimsical universe into colorful existence, with a mix of styrofoam and paper mache sprayed with water-proof paint for its characters, and steel structures for its houses. Notable characters can be spotted across the village, including Spirited Away’s No-Face and Yubaba, and My Neighbor Totoro’s Catbus.
Once the night hits, the village shines in the darkness with a colorful array of lights that line the makeshift houses.
Those interested in visiting the animation-inspired town won’t have to shell out money to enter its premises either, as there are no entrance fees. The village is open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., just in time for visitors to catch its twinkling bright lights. How lovely!
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
