Donguri Republic is a mecca for Ghibli fans visiting Japan, since it is the official store of Studio Ghibli. The branch in Kawagoe is quite small, but packed with souvenirs from all the classic Ghibli movies. It is a great spot to pick up some exclusive Ghibli goods which can be difficult to procure outside Japan.
The Kawagoe branch of Donguri Republic has a wide range of goods from the movies 'My Neighbor Totoro', 'Kiki's Delivery Service' and 'Spirited Away'. The popular characters Totoro, Catbus, Mei, Jiji and No Face are well represented. Apart from plush toys and figurines of the characters, you can purchase smaller items such as chopsticks, phone straps, hand towels, key rings, and stationery with the characters on them. They have some clothes, but that category mainly consists of t-shirts. The shop also has a small range of household items. Smaller items start from as little as 200 yen. Typically the larger the product, the higher the price tag. Specialty items such as cuckoo clocks or baby toys tend to be expensive, but often worth the price tag. They also have a smaller range of products from other Ghibli movies such as 'Laputa' and 'Mary and the Witch's Flower'.
The branch is located on the main tourist strip in the area known as Ichibangai, which is near Kawagoe's landmark Bell Tower. The store itself is very picturesque, housed in one of Kawagoe's Edo period buildings. You can't miss it with the large Totoro and Catbus bus stop outside. The shop is open from 10 am to 5.30 pm seven days a week.
