Interest

Tasmanian Bakery Offers Kiki's Delivery Service Fans An Unlikely Experience

For years, Kiki's Delivery Service fans have been flocking to an unlikely location—Tasmania's Ross Village Bakery, which fans think bears an uncanny resemblance to the bakery in the film.

The pilgrimage became such a popular destination that a few years ago, one of the owners' mothers decorated the upstairs loft to resemble Kiki's room from the movie. Inside the room, a guest book allows visitors to record their experiences and impressions, with some scribbling messages about visiting "Kiki's room."

Of course, while the extra business is welcome, it's also increased the staff's workload. According to co-owner Carl Crosby, "Sometimes we're just too busy to let them see the room or too busy to let them see the oven."

The bakery has been at its current site for over 100 years. Its wood-fired oven, which resembles the one seen in Kiki's Delivery Service, has the capacity to bake 300 loaves of bread at a time.

For more, check out this piece from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation or the original paper "A Japanese media pilgrimage to a Tasmanian bakery" by Dr. Chris Norris.

Source: Transformative Works and Cultures via ABC; images from ABC, Ross Bakery Inn, studioghifli, victuals visualized