Master Hayao Miyazaki’s Farewell Film “The Wind Rises” Features Breathtaking Film Locations

Article by MOOK Travel Life Network’s Zhang Yingying, compiled and reported

 

The recent hit movie “The Wind Rises” was released in Taiwan during the Mid-Autumn holiday season, and as it is also the farewell work of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki, it has generated particularly high expectations among fans of Japanese and Studio Ghibli animation. 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 airplane designer, dreaming of one day creating planes as beautiful as the wind. However, fate has other plans. From his youth to early adulthood, Jiro endures some of the darkest periods in modern Japanese history—from the regional disaster of the Great Kanto Earthquake to the global catastrophe of the Great Depression, as well as the then-incurable epidemic of tuberculosis—all of which test his resolve and perseverance in pursuing his dreams.

Although the Great Kanto Earthquake brought devastating destruction, it also becomes the catalyst for Jiro’s meeting with the female lead, Nahoko. The two meet on a train, and when they reunite later in life, they remain deeply moved by their “bond forged in adversity.” Despite obstacles from illness and reality, the two grow to 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, his strongest sources of strength are the unwavering companionship of his wife Nahoko and the mutual admiration he shares with his mentor—the Italian aircraft design master Caproni.

 

 

After its release in Japan on July 20 this year, “The Wind Rises” achieved the remarkable feat of topping the box office for five consecutive weeks, sparking widespread discussion. The film’s locations have also piqued curiosity. Japanese fans noticed that the bridge piers seen in the film, with the train passing over them, closely resemble the appearance of the Meganebashi (Spectacles Bridge) in the Karuizawa area of Gunma Prefecture. Key scenes involving interactions between the male and female leads bear a striking resemblance to both the exterior and interior of the Hotel Waiheiya in Karuizawa. 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 Hayao Miyazaki’s first new 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 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. It is also one of the few Miyazaki films to feature a male protagonist. A particularly noteworthy highlight is that the protagonist is based on a real historical figure. The film explores how the male lead pursues his dream of flight amid the chaos of war, and how the central couple meets and develops a touching love story against the backdrop of natural and human disasters. Viewers can also appreciate how these surreal yet realistic film settings are brought to vivid life under Miyazaki’s masterful direction.

 

 

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