Travel with the Masters and Step into the World of Studio Ghibli Animations
Last updated 2026-09-25 — Fans of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s works are often moved by the warmth, childlike charm, and grand yet delicately detailed scenes in their animations. Aside from the rich exhibits at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo...
By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network, reported by Li Meixian
Fans of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s works are often moved by the warmth, childlike charm, and grand yet delicately detailed scenes in their 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 iconic settings from Miyazaki’s famous works? Join us on a journey inspired by the master himself.
The Big Clock by Nippon TV, designed by Hayao Miyazaki, features 32 moving figurines that come to life with every hour. (Photo provided by Li Meixian)
The bathhouse “Yubaba’s Bathhouse” in the 2001 film Spirited Away, a composite building where spirits come to bathe, 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-style structure with classical flair. It was the first public bathhouse to be designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and it was also once a destination for Studio Ghibli employee trips.
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 setting of Spirited Away was inspired by Jiufen in Taiwan, sparking a wave of interest among Japanese tourists. Jiufen’s Keyshan Street is the area’s most bustling commercial district, lined with over a hundred small shops offering food, drinks, entertainment, and lodging. Formerly known as “Dark Street,” Keyshan Street could easily be called a foodie paradise, with local snacks that rival those at any night market in Taiwan. Must-tries include Jiufen taro balls, grass jelly, peanut ice cream rolls, and more.
The nostalgic mountain town of Jiufen. (Image provided by Monocle Editorial Department)
The townscapes in the 2004 animation Howl’s Moving Castle were primarily inspired by the Alsace region in France, Paris, and Heidelberg in Germany. Among them, the Little France district in Alsace is one of the most picturesque canal towns in Strasbourg. Here, canals crisscross the area, lined with elegant half-timbered houses and laid-back open-air restaurants. The wooden houses in Little France feature unusually large rooftops, originally designed for shoe-makers to dry leather.
Little France is one of the most picturesque canal towns in Strasbourg. (Image provided by Monocle Editorial Department)
The 2011 film From Up on Poppy Hill is set in Yokohama in 1963, with key scenes filmed at Yamashita Park, the NYK Hikawa Maru, Harbor View Park, and 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 peaceful experience to enjoy the harbor views and sea breeze, and visitors can even take a sightseeing boat cruise. 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 great place to visit both day and night.
Yamashita Park, where Umi and Shun take their evening stroll. (Image provided by Monocle Editorial Department)
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