Search results
Jun 7, 2024 · Acclaimed animation house Studio Ghibli has created some of the most fantastical worlds in cinema, but where are the places that its animators looked to for inspiration? Culture Trip discovers the real-life locations behind the studio’s famous creations.
- Bungo Mori Roundhouse
- Yunohira Onsen
- Yawatahama Port
- Yawatahama Station
- Brazilian Park Washuzan Highland
- Rokko Island
- Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
- Kiyosu Castle
- Ochanomizu
- Oya Kaigan
If you’re a fan of the film and also a fan of trains, then this is a great opportunity for you! The Bungo Mori Roundhouse in Oita is a great place to check out. Oita is a prefecture in Kyushu, which is the southwesternmost of the four main islands of Japan and a wonderful place to visiton its own. The Roundhouse is somewhat of a salute to the age o...
Curious about why people say Oita is a wonderful place to visit? Well, it’s home to some of the nation’s best Onsens! These public hot springs are a huge part of Japanese culture and are often featured in all sorts of entertainment, like animated films. One that was featured in Suzume no Tojimari is the Yunohira Onsen. This Edo-style village has a ...
A few hours away from Beppu(another location near Oita) by ferry is a relaxing port town called Yawatahama. This port town is a great place for those who are fans of the film as well as for watching ships. The relaxed atmosphere here is great for taking a breather from a long day of traveling, perhaps to/from Oita or Kyushu in general!
Another location in Yawatahama to visit is the train station! It offers great access via the Yosan line to get around the rest of Ehime which offers some exciting activities like canyoning, visiting the traditional Dogo Onsesn, and even a VR experience. While there are some great activities, riding the train itself is actually a beautiful experienc...
Another great attraction near the sea is an amusement park called Washuzan Highland. The park’s Brazilian theme is lively and great in contrast to some of the more subdued, traditional locations we’ve seen so far! It’s a bit farther north and on the other side of the sea, but it’s certainly a great stop along the way between Kyushu and Kanto!
Further down on the same coast asOkayama to the east is a manmade island (like Odaiba in Tokyo) called Rokko Island. It’s a great place to check out if you’re also visiting Hyogo Prefecture, and it’s very close to Kobe! The island was built for land expansion purposes in the 70s, but due to adverse impacts, both economic and environmental, the area...
Another point of interest in Hyogo is one of the world’s longest suspension bridges! If bridges are interesting to you, Japan has plenty of them, so be sure to check them out. This nearly 4,000-meter bridge connects Kobe to Awajishimaisland. There is also an observation area on the bridge, making the bridge that much more versatile between practica...
Moving even further east on our Suzume no Tojimari adventure, the Kiyosu Castle in Aichi is our next stop! This castle was once home to the infamous warlord Oda Nobunaga. If you don’t know him, be sure to brush up on your Japanese historybefore going; it will certainly make the visit more interesting! Anyways, to say the least, this castle has a hi...
Ochanomizu is surprisingly a great place for second-hand musical-instrument and snowboard/ski equipment shopping! The name itself actually means “tea water” and was named so because water from the nearby Kanda river was used to make the Shogun’s tea. The area is an interesting place to visit, and there are plenty of things to do and restaurants to ...
Our last stop, which is much farther north in MiyagiPrefecture, is Oya Kaigan. This place used to be a train station, but it was damaged severely along with nearby train tracks by the 2011 earthquake. Since then, it has been repurposed as a bus transit line. Miyagi, in general, boasts diversity in nature, with mountains and lakes while being on the...
- Your Name – Gifu Prefecture. Miyagawachō-Ochiai bus stop. Image adapted from: Toho and @cylut. Your Name is an anime film that broke box-office records in Japan and across the world.
- Chihayafuru – Ōmi Shrine. Stairs leading to the Romon gate. Image adapted from: Nippon TV and @chiyaha_project. Chihayafuru is an anime about uta-karuta (歌かるた, poetry karuta), a competitive Japanese card game that is physically and mentally demanding.
- Princess Mononoke -Yakushima. Image adapted from: Netflix and @kichikintrek_yakushima. A 4-hour ferry ride from Kagoshima will take you to the subtropical island of Yakushima, whose mystical woodlands have inspired the setting of Princess Mononoke.
- My Neighbour Totoro – Satsuki and Mei’s House. Image adapted from: Netflix and @takashi.mabuchi. This life-size recreation of Satsuki and Mei’s rural house in My Neighbour Totoro is located in Nagakute, a city in Aichi Prefecture.
- Tokyo Tower. Tokyo Tower has been featured in many movies, including Godzilla and King Kong, along with tons of anime series and anime films. And why wouldn't it?
- Asakusa. Unlike the aforementioned Akihabara, its neighboring ward Asakusa offers an experience that's more toward the traditional side of Japan. From the old shrines to the shopping districts, you'll find yourself going slightly back in time, like traveling the streets on a rickshaw while in a traditional kimono (from kimono rental shops).
- Shirakawa-gō. The anime series Higurashi When They Cry takes place in a fictional village called Hinamizawa, where creepy dark secrets lurk. Hinamizawa was based on a small traditional village called Shiragawa-gō, located in Shirakawa of Gifu Prefecture.
- Yokohama City. The Bungo Stray Dogs anime series is set in Yokohama, a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture of the Kanto region. It's home to many sightseeing spots, from museums and parks to cultural sites.
Jun 8, 2024 · Ponyo is another animated film by Hayao Miyazaki inspired by a real place: the village of Tomonoura. This picturesque port village — located in Hiroshima Prefecture and facing the Seto Inland Sea — boasts a rich historical heritage and has retained its authenticity since the Edo period.
The animated film " Your Name" (2016) introduces us to the fictional town of Itomori, forever altered by the comet Tiamat’s impact 1,200 years ago. Lake Itomori, formed by this event, is visually inspired by the real-world beauty of Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture. Although the town of Itomori is a composite of various real-life locations in ...
Apr 29, 2024 · Akihabara, Anime Locations in Japan, Ginza, One Punch Man, Shibuya, Sword Art Online, Tokyo Revengers, Yokohama. On your next vacation to the land of the rising sun, check over these 10 Real-life Anime Locations in Japan for your Next Visit.
