Image from Hayao Miyasaki animated film My Neighbour Totoro © Studio Ghibli

Drawn blog informs that a group of Pixar artists has started a campaign to raise money for the Sayama forest in Japan. This 8750-acres forest in Tokyo inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s excellent animated film My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki helped set up the national trust, Totoro no Furusato Fund to preserve the forest.

Over 200 top international artists from animation, illustration, and comics are donating artwork especially created for this cause. On september 6th 2008 Pixar Animation Studios will be hosting an auction event featuring all these pieces of art. All the proceeds of this fundraiser will benefit the protection of the Sayama Forest.

Visit Totoro Forest Project website if you want to buy at auction, help the project some other way or just admire fine pieces of art and hang around with fabulous Totoro style.

Thanks to Google Maps Japan you can take a virtual walk inside the Sayama Forest.