The captivating filming locations of Master Hayao Miyazaki’s farewell masterpiece "The Wind Rises"

By MOOK ScenicSpot Travel Life Network, reported and compiled by Zhang Yingying

 

The recent buzzworthy film "The Wind Rises" was released in Taiwan during the Mid-Autumn Festival season and marks the retirement work of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki, which has particularly excited fans of Japanese and Studio Ghibli animations who have been eagerly anticipating this film's release. The real-life locations that inspired the film's settings have also sparked lively discussions among fans.

"The Wind Rises" tells the story of Jiro, a boy from the countryside who is determined to become an aircraft designer, dreaming of one day creating airplanes as beautiful as the wind. However, fate does not go as planned. From his youth to adulthood, Jiro endures some of the darkest periods in modern Japanese history—from the local disaster of the Great Kanto Earthquake to the global catastrophe of the Great Depression, as well as the then-incurable epidemic tuberculosis—all of which continuously test Jiro’s resolve and perseverance in pursuing his dream.

Although the Great Kanto Earthquake brought devastating destruction, it also becomes the chance encounter between Jiro and the female lead, Nahoko. The two meet on a train, and when they reunite later in life, they still remember the "bond forged in adversity." Despite obstacles from illness and reality, they grow to deeply understand and cherish each other, supporting one another through hardship.

On Jiro’s path toward realizing his dream of designing airplanes, in addition to his visionary boss and supportive classmates, the most important sources of strength come from his wife Nahoko’s tireless companionship and the mutual admiration shared with his mentor—Italian aircraft design master Caproni.

 

 

After its release in Japan on July 20th this year, "The Wind Rises" achieved the remarkable feat of topping the box office for five consecutive weeks. In addition to sparking widespread discussion, the film’s filming locations have also piqued curiosity. Japanese fans noticed that the bridge piers with the train passing over them in the film bear a striking resemblance to the appearance of the Meganebashi (Spectacles Bridge) in Karuizawa, Gunma Prefecture. Key scenes involving interactions between the male and female leads closely match the exterior and interior of Karuizawa’s Hotel Wanpaku. The forests depicted in the film are also believed to be those around Karuizawa. Beyond the captivating storyline, audiences are eager to visit these locations in person to experience their charm.

 

"The Wind Rises" is Master Hayao Miyazaki’s latest work in five years since "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea." It was not only nominated for the 70th Venice International Film Festival’s competition section but also selected for both the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. Additionally, it marks the tenth collaboration between Director Miyazaki and legendary composer Joe Hisaishi, and is one of the rare Miyazaki films centered around a male protagonist. A particularly must-see highlight is that the protagonist is based on a real historical figure. See how the male lead pursues his fantastical dream of flight amid the chaos of war, and how the main characters meet and develop a touching love story against the backdrop of natural and human disasters. While watching, you can also feel how these surreal yet realistic film settings are vividly and intricately brought to life by Master Miyazaki.

 

 

● Read more: Travel with the Master into the World of Hayao Miyazaki Animation: http://goo.gl/nu8XUn