Hayao Miyazaki's Birthday
Next: January 5, 2027
Hand-drawn worlds, full of wonder.
The story
Where it comes from
Hayao Miyazaki was born in Tokyo on 5 January 1941, and this Story marks his birthday. After graduating from Gakushuin University in 1963 he joined Toei Animation as an animator, and in 1985 he co-founded Studio Ghibli with the director Isao Takahata and the producer Toshio Suzuki. His hand-drawn films, among them My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001), often explore people's relationship with nature and the spirit world, and are loved by children and adults around the globe.
How it's celebrated
There is no formal observance, but his birthday is a perfect excuse for a Ghibli film night, especially with someone seeing Totoro or Spirited Away for the first time. Fans draw his characters, cook the meals that appear in his films and share favourite scenes. For an animated card, it is hard to think of a more fitting birthday to celebrate.
Did you know
- Spirited Away won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2002 and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003.
- Before founding Ghibli, Miyazaki did scene planning and layout for the 1974 television series Heidi, Girl of the Alps.
- In 2014 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave him an honorary award for his lifetime of work.
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- Orthodox Christmas · January 7, 2027
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- Elvis Presley's Birthday · January 8, 2027
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- The First Balloon Flight in America · January 9, 2027