Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network, reported and compiled by Li Meishe
Having watched the animated works of Japanese animation masters Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, many are moved by the warmth, childlike charm, and the grand yet delicately detailed scenes in the animations. Aside from the rich exhibits at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, and the Big Clock at Shiodome Station run by Nippon TV, where else can you find famous works by Miyazaki? Join us on a journey with the master animator!
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The Big Clock at Nippon TV, designed by Hayao Miyazaki for the Japanese broadcaster, features 32 moving puppet mechanisms that come to life with every hour. (Photo provided by Li Meishe)
In the 2001 film "Spirited Away," the bathhouse “Yubaba’s Bathhouse” (Aburaya), a composite building where spirits come to soak, drew inspiration from Dogo Onsen Honkan in Japan. Built in the 27th year of the Meiji era (1894), Dogo Onsen Honkan is a majestic three-story wooden castle-like structure with classical flair. It was the first public bathhouse to be designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan and was also once a destination for Studio Ghibli employee trips.
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You can see traces of Yubaba’s Bathhouse at Dogo Onsen Honkan. (Image provided by Monocle Editorial Department)
Both Taiwanese and Japanese media have reported that the mountain town streetscape in "Spirited Away" was modeled after Jiufen in Taiwan, sparking a wave of interest among Japanese tourists eager to explore Jiufen. Kiyamachi Street in Jiufen is the area’s most bustling commercial district, lined with over a hundred small shops offering food, drinks, entertainment, and lodging. Once known as “Dark Street,” Kiyamachi Street is truly a food lover’s paradise, featuring local snacks that rival those of any night market in Taiwan. Must-tries for visitors include Jiufen taro balls, grass jelly, taro mochi, and sweet potato treats.
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The nostalgic mountain town of Jiufen. (Image provided by Monocle Editorial Department)
The town scenes in the 2004 animation "Howl's Moving Castle" were primarily inspired by Alsace in France, Paris, and Heidelberg in Germany. Among them, the Little France district in Alsace is one of the most beautiful canal towns in Strasbourg. Here, canals crisscross the area, lined with elegant half-timbered houses and leisurely open-air restaurants. The wooden houses in Little France have particularly large rooftops because the area was once home to cobblers, and the expansive flat roofs were designed to dry leather.
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Little France is one of the most beautiful canal towns in Strasbourg. (Image provided by Monocle Editorial Department)
The 2011 film "From Up on Poppy Hill" is set in Yokohama in 1963. Key scenes in the animation include Yamashita Park, the Hikawa Maru ship operated by NYK Line, Harbor View Park, and the Marine Tower. Yamashita Park, where the protagonists Umi and Shun take evening strolls, is one of Yokohama’s most traditional sightseeing spots. With few shops around, it offers a pure experience of the harbor views and sea breeze, along with access to a sightseeing boat service. In addition to attractions like the “Water Stage” and “Water Steps,” the park also provides views of Minato Mirai 21 and the Bay Bridge. It’s a place worth visiting both day and night.
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Yamashita Park, where Umi and Shun take their evening strolls. (Image provided by Monocle Editorial Department)
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