Let’s take a trip to “Spirited Away” anime in real life!

Hello. I’m Mishi. Have you watched “Spirited Away” before? This anime is one of my favorite anime and many people think so too, right? It’s a famous anime and everybody knows it. What makes this anime great? My opinion is views of the background and the atmosphere. Of course, the characters and story are great too. But I love the picture views so much! Just to watch them make me feel like I’m tripping in a dream world. It is always great to watch this anime once in a while.

But do you know that there are many models of the buildings and landscapes that exist in this world? I summarized some places that are from the movie “Spirited Away”. Don’t you want to see them? （´ω`*）

Today, I want to show you the models of places from “Spirited Away”. I’m sure you will be amazed and would want to go immediately! There are some places that are official places, Hayao Miyazaki said some places are just rumored that they are the models for this anime by fans. As I show you both of them, let’s go on a trip to the world of “Spirited Away”. In case you want to go to these places someday, I will show you the locations too. Let’s take a look at the places that are referred to as official first! ヽ(◎´З｀)ノ彡☆

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Dougo Onsen Honkan(道後温泉本館)

This place has been known as a model of Aburaya(油屋). Aburaya is a Sento (銭湯). Sento is a Japanese bath house so this place is the bath house where Sen worked at on the anime. Do you remember Sen took care of Yaoyorozu no Kami(eight millions of gods) at this place? Dougo Onsen Honkan is one of the places that is the model of the bathhouse on the anime. I just want you to know that there are some models that are combined and made for this place on the anime so it is exactly the same building. But as you see the picture, it looks like those gods come and visit there as guests!

The history of Dougo Onsen is deep. This building has been in this place more than 100 years. There are 4 buildings that have been marked as an important historical property. The Michelin Guide gave Dougo Onsen two stars in 2009 so there are many people who come to this place from all over the world. I wonder if they notice that this place is one of the models for “Spirited Away”!

On the top of the roof, there is a Shinrokaku to beat a Japanese drum.

There is a place to beat a Japanese drum. This place is called Shinrokaku(振鷺閣). They beat a Japanese drum when they open their business at 6 am and continue to beat the drum every hour until they close their business at 6 pm. This custom has been chosen for 100 soundscapes of Japan. It is a great place to taste Japan and Spirited Away! ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟヽ 三 ﾉﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ

Location: Ehime prefecture, Matsuyama city, Dougoyuno machi 5-6

Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum Kodakara Yu(江戸東京たてもの園 子宝湯)

Photo: Kodakara-yu, at Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum by Wiiii on Wikimedia Commons with CC License Attribution

There are many old buildings in this place. To keep the traditional buildings, they are moved and put together. Now, they are displayed and everybody can go and see them. Kodakara Yu is one of the buildings that were transferred in here. Kodakara Yu has been used since 1929 until 1988, they run their business as a hot spring in a different place. It looks like a shrine!

Location: Tokyo prefecture, Koganei city, Sakura machi 3-7-1

Meguro Gajoen(目黒雅叙園)

Photo: 目黒雅叙園 百段階段 by Tatsuo Yamashita on Flickr with CC License Attribution

If you have watched “Spirited Away”, there are rooms that Many gods drink or enjoy being served. This room is called Enkai Jou(a banquet hall). Enkai Jou is for guests to enjoy their meal, drink, watching dance, and so on. The model of a banquet hall is Meguro Gajoen.

Photo: 目黒雅叙園 by ptrktn on Flickr with CC License Attribution

Photo: 目黒雅叙園 百段階段 by Tatsuo Yamashita on Flickr with CC License Attribution

This place runs a hotel, wedding ceremonies, and restaurants. If you make a reservation, you will be able to look around this place. Everything is here and is detailed and combined with Japanese traditional skills. I’m sure this place is a breathtaking place for you.

Location: Tokyo prefecture, Meguro ku, Shitameguro 1-8-1

Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum Takei Sanshoudou(江戸東京たてもの園 武井三省堂)

Photo: 武井三省堂 文具店 by Hideya HAMANO on Flickr with CC License Attribution

This building is from Edo Tokyo open air architectural museum too. You know already what it is, right? (σ* ﾟーﾟ)σ

This place used to be a stationary shop. It was built in the early Meiji period(1868-1912). This place is the model for the room of boiler geezer. In this place, there are many drawers all the way to the ceiling and you need to use a ladder to open the top ones. Do you remember boiler geezer uses his many hands to open many drawers to make a herb Onsen?

Location: Tokyo prefecture, Koganei city, Sakura machi 3-7-1

Ghibli has officially announced that those places are referred by Hayao Miyazaki.

Now, let’s see the places that are rumored by fans.

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There are some more places that are said to be referred by fans, but Ghibli officially said that Hayao Miyazaki said there are no exact places to be referred. So, after all, these places that I will show are not referred to as official. They are just a rumor but it is fun to look through Japanese places so let me introduce some places that people talk about.

Ginzan Onsen (銀山温泉)

Wow, look at this place!

There are many hotels sit together and make a nostalgic view. If you say it looks like one of the views on Spirited Away, I would be convinced but there is no proof for it! It is a beautiful place, though!

Location: Yamagata prefecture, Obanazawa city,

Shima Onsen Sekizenkan(四万温泉 積善館)

This place is by the river that is called Shima Gawa. It is old style and you can feel the Japanese culture.

Location: Gunma prefecture, Agatsuma gun, Nakanojou machi, Shima onsen 4236

Shibu Onsen Kanaguya(渋温泉 金具屋)

Since a Japanese government banned building a four-story wooden building for security reasons, there are only a few hotels left like this hotel. At night, when they turn lights up, the atmosphere of this hotel creates a situation like an illusion. You would be able to feel that you time-slip to the old days.

Location: Nagano prefecture, Shimotakai gun, Yamanouchi chou, Hirao  2202

Hawai Onsen(はわい温泉)

This Onsen area looks like it’s floating on the Tougou pond. It made this place look like a sacred place. The name of this place is known by Japanese because it sounds like Hawaii. Isn’t it interesting?

Location: Tottori prefecture, Touhaku gun, Yurihama chou, Hawai Onsen

Jiufen in Taiwan(九份)

This place is not in Japan. It is in Taiwan. Jiufen was one of the typical small villages in Taiwan but since gold was found, this place improved. Especially, while Taiwan was under Japanese rule, this place met the peak period but after they closed the miner spot, this place started to be forgotten.

But in 1989, this place was used for the location of a movie and since that, Jiufen is known as a tourist site.

This place was under Japanese influence so you can get to see Japanese style roads and stairs.

Location: Ruifang District of New Taipei City near Keelung, Taiwan.

 There are some more places that look like they are from “Spirited Away” but those above are the famously rumored ones. All places have their own unique styles and make me want to go to each one of them. It is so amazing that they still keep these places. I love traditional places so much! o(。'(ェ)’。)○☆

Summary

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Did you like the tour of “Spirited Away”? (・∀・)? Who’s not going to love the world view of this anime? Every time I watch this anime, I wished I could be in the places where Sen was at but not as a worker there! It would be too much for me to deal with millions of gods. I just want to go to that place and come back in my real life!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this page. Have a good day!

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