by A vast tapestry that reproduces a famous scene from Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film “Spirited Away” has been completed in France.
It was produced in Aubusson, the central part of Japan, known as a city of tapestry industry since the Middle Ages, and an unveiling ceremony was held on the 20th.
The tapestry theme is the banquet scene where the main character, Chihiro, faces Kaonashi and is 3 meters high and 7.5 meters wide. It has been woven in a local workshop for over a year.
The completion ceremony was held at the International Tapestry Center in Aubusson. When the work unfolded, there was a big applause from about 300 participants. Sarah Shasan, 33, one of the weaving craftsmen, said, “We worked with a team of four women.
It took a lot of work to reproduce the texture of the pottery. We even fought among ourselves over what kind of thread to use. Today is the first time I’ve taken it off the loom and unfolded it to see the entire work.
Aubusson’s tapestry production is listed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Since 2020, he has been producing five tapestries based on Miyazaki’s animation works, and this is the second work to be completed. “Princess Mononoke,” completed last year, is open to the public at the exact center.
