Since we’re a family entranced by Ghibli, it isn’t too surprising that we found ourselves at the Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo walking through an exhibition on the work of Takahata Isao, one of Ghibli’s founders.

There was an interesting pre-Ghibli history that walked though his TV work.

But it was the films we’ve loved that were most interesting such as PomPoko or Grave of the Fireflies

The films are all a little bittersweet, except maybe the Yamadas.

Culminating with his final film, bittersweet but beautiful animation.

And afterwards a rather strange walk around the main galleries and the realisation that whilst Van Gogh and his friends were being inspired by Japanese exotica arriving in Europe, artists in Japan were discovering watercolours.