Step into the home of the wind, climb trees, and play in the dirt — Hayao Miyazaki is building a "children's nature park" in Okinawa

▲ Concept image of the children's nature park "Kaze no Mori" (Forest of the Wind) created by Hayao Miyazaki. (Photo / Screenshot fromnatalie)

Reporter Tsai Wen-jun / Comprehensive report

Okinawa will not only be the site of Japan’s second Universal Studios, but now animation master Hayao Miyazaki has also chosen Okinawa’s Kume Island to create a nature park where children can connect with forests and mountains, with completion expected in 2018.

Kume Island boasts rich natural beauty and is also known as a paradise for snorkeling. Impressed by its vast native forests and natural ecosystem, Miyazaki collaborated with Kume Island to designate 10,000 square meters of land within Maeda Forest Park. Existing playground equipment will be removed, and only a lodging facility that can accommodate 30 people will be built along the coast, allowing children to freely climb trees and play in the dirt while enjoying the tropical forest atmosphere. Miyazaki has named it “The Forest of the Wind’s Return” (風の帰る森 / Kaze no Kaeru Mori).

Although it is created by Miyazaki, the nature park currently plans not to feature any characters from Studio Ghibli works.