Ding Dang’s father returns home to Toyama, Japan, to exhibit a nostalgic showcase

Text by: Little Travel Kid

“Anything your heart desires will come to you.” Even though he’s officially called Doraemon, “Ding Dang” just sounds much more affectionate. The blue, round-faced robotic cat is a childhood memory for many, and the hometown of the “Father of Ding Dang,” Fujiko F. Fujio—Kakogawa City—has decided to help everyone relive their youth.

Starting now, the “Kakogawa F Fujiko F. Fujio Hometown Gallery” exhibition will be held on the second floor of the Kakogawa City Museum. To promote the event, the local area has prepared 30,000 guide brochures, which will be distributed on both old and new Kakogawa buses as well as at major tourist spots. True to its charming style, the brochure cover features Doraemon’s four-dimensional pocket, while the inner pages include a map of 11 locations related to Mr. Fujio and where Doraemon statues are located. With illustrations and text, even die-hard fans might want to keep the guidebook itself.

The gallery will showcase the footsteps of Mr. Fujio’s journey. Through a slide projector, you can view photos from Fujiko F. Fujio’s youth, and even see his self-made booklet for his 14-year-old original work, “Monster Island.” Additionally, the gallery has fused “Doraemon” with the traditional “Kakogawa Copperware” of the area to create Doraemon copper statues. There will also be screenings of a specially made short film titled “F Character All-Star Gathering: Doraemon & Perman — Danger!?”, running about 10 minutes in length. With numerous original works and the opportunity to get up close with Mr. Fujio’s creations, the content is highly captivating—don’t forget to stop by the souvenir shop before you leave.

Kakogawa City Fujiko F. Fujio Hometown Gallery
Location:Japan2nd Floor, Kakogawa City Museum, Toyama Prefecture
Hours: 9:30am – 5:00pm
Ticket Price: 500Q?br />Website:http://fujiko-artgallery.jp

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Source: Kakogawa City Museum