7 Real Places That Inspired Ghibli Movies

Looking at the brilliant and dreamy footage of Ghibli animated films, have you ever wished that the magical world actually existed in real life? Not a product of imagination, the dreamy scenes in Ghibli’s animated films are inspired by real places in Japan and many parts of the world.

7 Real Places That Inspired Ghibli Movies

Although only using manual sketching techniques with pencils and watercolors, Studio Ghibli has excelled in recreating real scenes in many countries. Not only that, they have added magical elements and dreamy colors to create a world that has the power to soothe the souls of children and adult audiences alike. Is the city of souls as brilliant as what little Chihiro witnessed in Spirited Away, or is the coastal city where the little witch Kiki chooses to stop really as gentle and poetic as what we see? admired in Kiki’s Delivery Service? Let’s explore with ELLE the locations that are the inspiration for Ghibli animated movies!

1. LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY – RHONDA

Castle in the Sky is Ghibli’s first official animated feature and is inspired by the Rhonda region of Wales. Miyazaki – the co-founder of Studio Ghibli – traveled to South Wales in 1984 – during a time of miners’ strike across the UK. The talented director was impressed by their brave spirit and was inspired to create Laputa: Castle in the Sky in 1986. Under his pen, the miners appear with a strong appearance. , resilient, supporting 2 main characters, Pazu and Sheeta, to escape the pirates. In addition, Welsh castles such as Caernarfon, Caerphilly, and Powis are also an abundant source of inspiration for director Miyazaki to create Tedi’s fortress on screen.

2. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO – SAYAMA, TOKOROZAWA (SAITAMA)

In 1979, Miyazaki came up with the idea to make a film set in rural Japan while he was designing the animated series Heidi: The Girl in the High Mountain. For Miyazaki, Japan’s rich nature always inspires him, this is reflected in the blockbuster My Neighbor Totoro. which was born in 1987. His memories with his wife, when they lived in the Tokorozawa area in the 60s, were the material for him to make peaceful rural scenes in his films. Until now, the nature and plants at Tokorozawa have been carefully preserved thanks to the Totoro Foundation, and this is also an ideal climbing site for those who love to explore. Besides, the forest in the film is also modeled after a real forest in the hills of Sayama.

3. PORCO ROSSO – HANG ẨN STINIVA, VIS (CROATIA)

Much of the Porco Rosso footage is set in a huge rock cave along the Croatian Strait. Stiniva Hidden Cave on Vis Island in Croatia was the inspiration for Miyazaki to create a unique cave in the movie. It is known that this site has existed since the Ice Age and in 2016 it was voted as one of the most beautiful seas in Europe. Initially, Porco Rosso was produced to be broadcast on Japan Airlines flights with a duration of 35-40 minutes. However, the film was released in full length and became one of the highest-viewed films in Japan in 1992.

4. KIKI DELIVERY’S SERVICE – STOCKHOLM AND VISBY (SWEDEN)

During a business trip to Sweden to buy the rights to Pippi Longstocking, Miyazaki did not expect that this place would become the setting for his next animated film. The fishing village of Koriko in the movie Kiki Delivery’s Service is illustrated by him in two locations in Sweden, the capital Stockholm and the town of Gisby. Not long after a business trip, Miyazaki and the Ghibli team returned here to shoot about 80 films to prepare for the movie to be released in 1989.

5. PRINCESS MONONOKE – YAKUSHIMA (KAGOSHIMA) VÀ SHIRAKAMI – SANCHI (AKITA VÀ AOMORI)

Princess Mononoke is Studio Ghibli’s first film to be released in the US. In 1993, Yakushima and Shirakami – Sanchi were the first two sites in Japan to be recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Shiratani Unsuikyo’s ravine with thousands of years old primeval green moss created a fanciful, fresh scene for the film. It is known that the ancient ecosystem at Shirakami – Sanchi was formed about 8000 years ago.

6. SPIRITED AWAY – DOGO ONSEN (MATSUYAMA, EHIME)

Famed director Steven Spielberg considers Spirited Away to be one of the best-animated films ever produced and at the same time a classic animated film in Japan. The Aburaya sauna in the movie is modeled after the original Dogo hot spring in Matsuyama City. This site was built in 1984 and is considered a property of high cultural value in the land of Phu Tang. Besides, many people believe that the town of spirits appearing in the Spirited Away movies was inspired by Jiufen (the ancient village of Jiufen) in Taiwan. However, Miyazaki denied this information.

7. PONYO – PORT TOWN OF TOMONOURA, FUKUYAMA 

The town of Tomonoura in Fukuyama completely conquered Miyazaki’s heart when he visited it in 2004. Perhaps there is no place more suitable for the movie Ponyo than this small town with valleys stretching endlessly. , long historical sites, and picturesque harbors. In addition to Ponyo, there are many other live-action films and movies set here, typically the famous movie The Wolverine.

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