“Only Yesterday” / 「おもひでぽろぽろ」, Set of Two Original Japanese Movie Posters 1991 — Childhood & Adulthood Classroom Portrait and Takase Station Styles — B2 Size (51 × 73 cm Each)

This listing is for an exceptional matching set of two original Japanese B2 theatrical posters produced for the first-release campaign of Isao Takahata’s Only Yesterday / 「おもひでぽろぽろ」 in 1991.

The set brings together two complementary B2 designs from the film’s original Japanese theatrical campaign:

Style A — Classroom portrait: adult Taeko and her childhood self — Reference M224
Style B — Takase Station portrait: Taeko seated with her luggage — Reference M224

Together, the two posters capture the film’s central relationship between memory and the present. One brings Taeko face to face with her younger self; the other presents a quiet moment during her journey into the Japanese countryside.

Both are original 1991 Japanese theatrical printings, not later Studio Ghibli shop posters, decorative reproductions, or commercial reprints.

Film background

Only Yesterday follows Taeko Okajima, a 27-year-old office worker living in Tokyo, who takes a holiday in rural Yamagata to help with the safflower harvest.

During the journey, memories of her fifth-grade school year begin to resurface. Childhood friendships, family disagreements, first love, and small disappointments return with unexpected clarity, prompting her to reconsider the adult life she has built.

In the countryside, her growing friendship with Toshio, a young farmer, introduces a different way of living. As Taeko moves between recollections of childhood and her experiences in the present, the film explores identity, belonging, and the possibility of choosing a new direction.

Written and directed by Isao Takahata, based on the manga by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone, the film was animated by Studio Ghibli, with Hayao Miyazaki serving as production producer. It features music by Katsu Hoshi, with Miki Imai voicing adult Taeko and Toshiro Yanagiba voicing Toshio.

Released in Japan on 20 July 1991 through Toho, Only Yesterday demonstrated the expressive range of Studio Ghibli’s animation through an intimate drama rooted in everyday experience, childhood memory, and rural life.

The Japanese poster campaign

These two designs present complementary interpretations of the film’s original promotional message.

The Style A classroom poster gives visual form to Taeko’s relationship with her childhood self, placing both versions of the character together within a remembered schoolroom. The Style B station poster concentrates on the adult Taeko, pausing with her belongings during her journey.

Both use pale backgrounds, delicately rendered architecture, and generous areas of open space. Their gentle visual treatment reflects the film’s reflective atmosphere and its attention to the emotional significance of ordinary places.

Displayed together, the pair creates a thoughtful portrait of the film’s intertwined themes of travel, memory, and self-discovery.

Style A — Classroom portrait: adult Taeko and her childhood self — M224

The first design depicts adult Taeko holding hands with her younger self in a softly illustrated classroom.

Adult Taeko wears a straw-coloured hat, a blue-and-white striped top, pale trousers, and a dark garment tied around her waist. She carries a woven suitcase and smiles broadly, her relaxed expression contrasting with the younger Taeko’s attentive, slightly surprised gaze.

The child wears a white blouse, a coral-red pleated skirt, and red shoes. A red school satchel rests on her back, while she holds a copy of Margaret, the Japanese manga magazine.

Rows of wooden desks lead towards the blackboard, with tall windows, suspended fluorescent lights, and classroom furnishings rendered in delicate, muted tones. The architecture gradually fades into the pale surrounding paper, suggesting the incomplete edges of a remembered scene.

The pairing is a visual expression of the film’s central idea: Taeko’s childhood accompanies her into adulthood.

The vertical slogan at upper left reads:

「私はワタシと旅にでる。」

“I set out on a journey with myself.”

The Japanese title:

「おもひでぽろぽろ」

appears in large blue lettering across the lower section.

Immediately above it is the prominent creative credit:

「宮崎 駿プロデュース・高畑 勲監督作品」

“Produced by Hayao Miyazaki — A film directed by Isao Takahata.”

Its warm characterisation and evocative classroom setting make this a particularly moving representation of the film’s treatment of childhood and memory.

Reference: M224.

Style B — Takase Station portrait: Taeko seated with her luggage — M224

The second design presents adult Taeko seated beside a wooden pillar at Takase Station, holding an open red book.

She wears a simple white T-shirt, rolled blue jeans, and casual shoes. Her woven suitcase stands beside her, topped by a rounded hat, linking the image to the travelling figure depicted in Style A.

Taeko looks up from her book, creating a quiet sense of anticipation. Her relaxed posture and modest belongings make the scene feel personal and unhurried.

Behind her, wooden window frames, a slatted bench, and sunlit greenery establish the rural station setting. The blue vertical station sign reads:

「たかせ」

“Takase.”

The illustration fades gently into a pale background, allowing the character, luggage, and weathered wooden architecture to remain the focus.

The Japanese title:

「おもひでぽろぽろ」

runs vertically down the right side in elegant pink lettering.

Beside it, black text credits Hayao Miyazaki as producer and Isao Takahata as director. The campaign slogan appears at lower left:

「私はワタシと旅にでる。」

“I set out on a journey with myself.”

Here, the line becomes especially resonant: Taeko is physically travelling, while her memories accompany her on a more personal journey.

The restrained composition offers a beautiful counterpart to the classroom design, connecting the adult character’s present circumstances with the childhood recollections explored in Style A.

Reference: M224.

Authenticity

Important authenticity note: original theatrical posters should be distinguished from later Studio Ghibli retail editions and decorative reproductions.

The two examples offered here are genuine original Japanese B2 posters printed and distributed for the film’s 1991 first-release theatrical campaign.

They are not later Ghibli shop editions, reproductions, or decorative reprints.

Release and format note

Each poster is an original Japanese B2-size theatrical poster, measuring approximately:

51.5 × 72.8 cm / 20.3 × 28.7 inches

The set comprises two complementary designs from the film’s original Japanese theatrical promotion:

Style A — Adult and childhood Taeko in the classroom — M224
Style B — Adult Taeko seated at Takase Station — M224

Bringing these two original B2 styles together offers a wonderful opportunity for collectors of Studio Ghibli, Isao Takahata, Japanese animation, and original theatrical poster art.

Condition

Both posters are in excellent condition.

They retain attractive colour, clear character artwork, delicate background detail, and strong overall display appeal.

Both present very well, with their pale colour palettes and complementary compositions creating an especially harmonious display.

Once framed, these posters will display excellently.

Please review the photographs carefully, including the reverses, as they show the exact two posters included in this listing.

This listing includes:

One original 1991 Japanese B2 Style A classroom portrait poster — M224
One original 1991 Japanese B2 Style B Takase Station portrait poster — M224

They are now over 35 years old.

They are not reproductions or reprints.

Certificates of Authenticity included.