Geocache Description
This is a cache series which highlights the works by Japanese filmmaker and artist Hayao Miyazaki, a co-founder of Studio Ghibli. He has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and as a maker of anime feature films and is widely regarded as one of the greatest animation filmmakers. This is a letterbox cache that will take you to a nice woodland spot where Jiji the Black Cat likes to hang out. Just ignore the Catbuses howling in the background and follow this cool black cat to his favorite kitty cat box in the woods.
Note: This cache has a keyword that is required to unlock the Totoro Forest Bonus cache for this series. Please leave laminated clue cards in the cache containers. See the links at the bottom of this listing to access all of the caches in the series.
Jiji the Black Cat
Jiji is Kiki’s pet cat and her faithful companion as she is training to become a full-fledged witch in Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Kiki's Delivery Service. In the American version, Jiji is a chatty and sarcastic cat that likes to act proud. In the Japanese version, Jiji is a cautious and cute cat that acts humble and is always ready to help Kiki. In Japanese culture, cats are usually depicted with feminine voices, whereas in American culture, their voices are more gender-specific. In the original Japanese version, Kiki loses her ability to communicate with Jiji permanently but in the American dub, a line is added which implies she is once again able to understand him. Miyazaki has said that Jiji represents the childish side of Kiki, and the reason why she loses her ability to communicate with him is because that she has grown up.
Catnip Scramble Letterbox
Just follow this cool black cat to his favorite kitty cat box in these woods. Make sure to bring a GPS or phone for the required projection at the end. The trail is multi-use, watch for mountain bikers!
1. Alleycat Trail: Go straight, past the ye olde tree stump.
2. Feline Crossings: At the bridge, veer right.
3. Kitty Kat Hideout: Go straight into the hidey-hole.
4. Catnip Scramble - Pole #1: Turn left.
5. Catnip Scramble - Pole #2: Turn right.
6. Catnip Scramble - Pole #3: Go straight.
7. Catnip Scramble - At the "Y": Veer Right
8. Catnip Scramble - Pole #4: Veer right.
9. Triple-Double Trees: Go straight, past the small fallen tree.
10. Double Tree: Project from the middle double tree (closest to the trail).
Links to the series of caches. These caches can be found in any order.
Congratulations to rlobecker for making his 1500th cache find here!
For Cache of the Year, Best Letterbox Hybrid, Best Kids Cache and For Best Theme/Series
For Best Kids Cache and For Best Letterbox Hybrid
NOTICE: This cache is hidden with the permission of the Area 2 Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) Park manager. Geocachers must abide by all Park Authority rules, regulations and other restrictions. This specifically includes park access times. Unless posted otherwise, all Park Authority parks are open from Dawn to Dusk. Night Caching in Park Authority parks is expressly forbidden.
Source: Much of the information in this letterbox was sourced from the Ghibli Wiki and Wikipedia.