More than 200 Japanese anime fans flock to a small bakery in Tasmania every year to get a glimpse of the inspiration behind their favourite film.
Ross Village Bakery is believed to be the birthplace of Kiki’s Delivery Service, an anime film about a 13-year-old girl who moves abroad for a year as part of witch tradition.
She lives in an attic above a bakery and this is believed to have been inspired by the Ross business.
Ross Village Bakery (pictured) is believed to be the birthplace of Kiki’s Delivery Service, an anime film that follows a 13-year-old girl who moves abroad for a year as part of witch tradition
Kiki (pictured) lives in an attic above a bakery and this is believed to have been inspired by the Ross business
The bakery shop itself used to have more of a resemblance to the wood-panelled one in the film but that changed when a refrigerated cabinet was put in.
Ross has a population of 400 people and every summer 200 people who are fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service visit the town.
The 1989 movie was directed by one of anime’s greatest animators – Hayao Miyazaki.
Around 25 years ago the owners of the Tasmanian bakery noticed the large amount of Japanese anime tourists coming into the store.
The tourists would get excited and that is when the story of Kiki’s Delivery Service and the Ross Village Bakery, which is more than 120 years old, began.
A sign on the door reads: ‘Many believe that Hayao Miyazaki drew inspiration for Kiki’s Delivery Service here.
‘We don’t know if that is true. What do you believe?’
Carl Crosby, who is the owner of the bakery, told ABC’s Hack: ‘Some of them will come dressed up with bows in their hair and black dresses and with brooms.
Ross has a population of 400 people and every summer 200 people who are fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service visit the town
‘A lot of them get very happy and giggly, there’s screams.’
People’s reactions usually come once they see the room that was supposed to be Kiki’s.
The journey is a pilgrimage for some people, however fans of the anime film aren’t the first to travel across the globe for a glimpse of a set location.
Dr Craig Norris, University of Tasmania lecturer in social sciences, has written a paper on the Ross Village Bakery phenomenon.
Dr Norris has also written about the wider practice of people travelling to a place featured in pop culture and said it can be a challenge in getting it right.
‘If you get it wrong, if you charge too much or you’re seen as exploiting this space, then the fans are more than likely to rise up against it, down vote or complain about it as morally problematic,’ he said.
The journey is a pilgrimage for some people, however fans of the anime film aren’t the first to travel across the globe for a glimpse of a set location
Dr Norris has also written about the wider practice of people travelling to a place featured in pop culture and said it can be a challenge in getting it right because if you charge too much fans will revolt