Real-Life Locations In Japan That Inspired Studio Ghibli Anime Movies

Article by Kaori

• What is Studio Ghibli?

• 1-Castle In The Sky [天空の城ラピュタ - Tenkū no Shiro Rapyuta] - 1986:
• 2-My Neighbor Totoro [となりのトトロ - Tonari no Totoro]- 1988:
• 3- Only Yesterday [おもひでぽろぽろ - Omoide Poro Poro]- 1991:
• 4- Princess Mononoke [もののけ姫 - Mononoke-hime]- 1997:
• 5- Whisper of The Heart [耳をすませば - Mimi wo Sumaseba] - 1997:
• 6- Ponyo[崖の上のポニョ - Gake no Ue no Ponyo] - 2008:
• 7- Spirited Away [千と千尋の神隠し - Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi] - 2001:
• 8- The Cat Returns [猫の恩返し - Neko no Ongaeshi] - 2002:
• 9- The Secret World Of Arrietty [借りぐらしのアリエッティ - Karigurashi no Arietty] - 2010:
• 10- From Up On Poppy Hill [コクリコ坂から - Kokuriko zaka Kara] - 2011:
• 11- The Wind Rises [風立ちぬ - Kaze Tachinu]- 2013:
• 12- When Marnie Was There [思い出のマーニー - Omoide no Mānī]- 2014:

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While Japan is getting ready to watch the new Hayao Miyazaki movie "How Do You Live?", let's get back in time to check the real-life locations that inspired some of the most unforgettable movies of Studio Ghibli, one of the most famous anime studios in the world.

What is Studio Ghibli?

Studio Ghibli was founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki in 1985. The company name was chosen by Miyazaki, who is fond of airplanes. It comes from an Italian aircraft used in World War II. It is also the name of a hot desert wind. The company mascot is a character from the 1988 anime movie My Neighbor Totoro. It is a forest spirit named Totoro.

1-Castle In The Sky [天空の城ラピュタ - Tenkū no Shiro Rapyuta] - 1986:

Castle in the Sky was directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki.

This anime is about a boy and a mysterious girl searching for a mythical flying island called Laputa, which was lost a long time ago and believed to be full of treasures.

It is believed that Tomogashima is the inspiration for the anime. This place is an island located between Wakayama Prefecture and Awaji Island.

2-My Neighbor Totoro [となりのトトロ - Tonari no Totoro]- 1988:

My Neighbor Totoro was directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki. My Neighbor Totoro is about two little girls who are going to spend their summer in the rural countryside in Japan. They become friends with forest spirits.

Sayama Hills in western Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture is considered to be the inspiration for My Neighbor Totoro. There are a lot of different activities to do in Saitama Prefecture such as tea picking.

3- Only Yesterday [おもひでぽろぽろ - Omoide Poro Poro]- 1991:

Only Yesterday was written and directed by Isao Takahata, based on the manga by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone.

27-year-old Taeko, who lived her whole life in Tokyo, decides to take a trip to visit the family of her sister's in-laws in the rural countryside to get away from the city. In her journey, she begins to recall memories of her childhood.

Safflower fields are a few minutes away from Takase Station in Yamagata Prefecture, and Safflowers are the official flower of Yamagata Prefecture. So if we assume that the setting for this anime is in Yamagata Prefecture, we won't be mistaken.

4- Princess Mononoke [もののけ姫 - Mononoke-hime]- 1997:

Princess Mononoke was directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki. It is a story of a prince who starts a journey to find a cure for the curse on him. Unfortunately, he gets involved in a fight between Iron Town and the forest.

The island of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture inspired Princess Mononoke's setting with its natural beauty which was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.

5- Whisper of The Heart [耳をすませば - Mimi wo Sumaseba] - 1997:

Whisper of the Heart was directed by Yoshifumi Kondō, based on the manga by Aoi Hiiragi. The screenplay was written by Hayao Miyazaki.

Whisper of the Heart is about a young girl meeting her soulmate and chasing her dreams of creative writing. Shizuki notices that every book she borrows from the library is read by the same boy. She wants to find this mysterious boy who may be her soulmate and follow her dream to become a successful writer. Many locations around Seiseki Sakuragaoka Station in Tama City appeared in the anime. There is even an anime location map available at the station. If we would like to give an example, you can visit Konpiragu Shrine.

6- Ponyo[崖の上のポニョ - Gake no Ue no Ponyo] - 2008:

Ponyo was directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. The screenplay was also written by Hayao Miyazaki. This anime is a friendship story of a five year old boy and a goldfish named Ponyo who wishes to become human.

Tomonoura in Hiroshima, which has beautiful scenery in its harbor, inspired the setting for Ponyo.

7- Spirited Away [千と千尋の神隠し - Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi] - 2001:

Spirited Away was directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki.

The Oscar-winning anime movie Spirited Away is directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It is about a young girl named Chihiro who enters the spirit world on her way to her new home. A witch controls people by taking their names and making them work in a bathhouse for spirits. Chihiro tries her best to rescue her parents, who turn into pigs.

It is said that the bath house in the Spirited Away is inspired by many places and Sekizenkan is one of those places.
In Japan, there are nearly 27.000 hot springs and It’s said that Sekizenkan which is in Shima Onsen at Gunma Prefecture is one of the oldest onsen (Japanese Hot Springs) in Japan.

It takes 3 hours by car from Tokyo. This area which is famous for its hot springs also has a legend. God of the mountains gives the power to heal 40.000 kinds of ailments in this hot spring. That is why that area is called “Shima” which means 40.000.



Sekizenkan’s main building is thought to be the oldest part of the building and it’s visited by Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away Fans frequently.
It’s forbidden to bring food outside, but you can enjoy eating bento which contains local veggies and flavors. And you can experience the classical Japanese onsen culture there. (e.g. laying your bed, using a common toilet, using a common hot spring area...)
Especially, Sekizenkan's 4th building (called Maeshin), which was built in 1930, looks like an inspiration for the anime Spirited Away. (2nd and 3rd floor of the building.) The visitors usually say that the tunnel between the main building and Sanso (The building constructed in 1936) also reminds them of the scene in Spirited Away.

It is also believed that Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture and Dogo Onsen in Ehime Prefecture inspired Spirited Away.

For more, don't forget to read our "Tokyo's Anime Movie Real-Life Locations" article.

8- The Cat Returns [猫の恩返し - Neko no Ongaeshi] - 2002:

The Cat Returns was directed by Hiroyuki Morita, and based on The Cat Returns by Aoi Hiiragi. The screenplay was written by Reiko Yoshida. This anime is about a girl named Haru. She rescues a cat, but later Haru finds out that the cat she rescued is a prince in the cat kingdom. Their gratitude turns into big trouble for her. Only another cat named Baron can help her to escape from this unusual destiny.

It is believed that Motomachi shopping street in Yokohama served as a reference for a scene in the anime.

9- The Secret World Of Arrietty [借りぐらしのアリエッティ - Karigurashi no Arietty] - 2010:

The Secret World of Arrietty was directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, based on The Borrowers by Mary Norton. The screenplay was written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa.

This anime is about a little "borrower" named Arrietty, who becomes friends with a human boy named Shō. Unfortunately, she has to protect her parents from his parents.

Seibien, which is in Hirakawa City in the Tsugaru Region of Aomori Prefecture, is the inspiration for the Arrietty setting. It has a Western and Japanese mixed architecture style and a historical Japanese garden.

10- From Up On Poppy Hill [コクリコ坂から - Kokuriko zaka Kara] - 2011:

From Up on Poppy Hill was directed by Gorō Miyazaki, the son of Hayao Miyazaki, and the story is based on Kokuriko-zaka kara by Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsurō Sayama. The screenplay was written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa.

This anime is about the battle of two high school students to rescue their club building from demolition during the preparations for the 1964 Summer Olympics.

This anime was set in Yamate in Yokohama in the 1960s. So some places are changed even though the setting is real Yokohama.

11- The Wind Rises [風立ちぬ - Kaze Tachinu]- 2013:

The Wind Rises was directed by Hayao Miyazaki. He was also the scriptwriter of the anime.

This anime is inspired by the life of a plane designer, Jiro Horikoshi who lives in the World War II period.

Kamikochi Imperial Hotel in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture believed to be used for the setting of The Wind Rises.

12- When Marnie Was There [思い出のマーニー - Omoide no Mānī]- 2014:

When Marnie Was There was directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi and the story was based on When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson.

The screenplay was written by Masashi Andō, Keiko Niwa, and Hiromasa Yonebayashi. This anime is about a 12 years old girl and her new friend Marnie. Anna was sent to a rural seaside town for the summer after she had an asthma attack. She becomes a friend of a curious girl who lives in an abandoned house.

The anime setting is located in the Kushiro area in eastern Hokkaido, where Tancho, Japan's famous protected red-crowned crane, is located.










*Due to covid precautions, some places mentioned in this article could be temporarily closed. Please check its current status before you plan your visit.

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