Spirited Away
千と千尋の神隠し
adventuredramafantasysupernatural(2001)
On the way to their new home, 10-year-old Chihiro Ogino's family stumbles upon a deserted theme park. Intrigued, the family investigates the park, though unbeknownst to them, it is secretly inhabited by spirits who sleep by day and appear at night. When Chihiro's mother and father eat food from a restaurant in the street, angry spirits turn them into pigs. Furthermore, a wide sea has appeared between the spirit world and the human one, trapping Chihiro, the sole human, in a land of spirits. Luck
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Pilgrimage Spots (4)
Photo by Mikagekawase (CC BY 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons
東京都[[小金井市
東京都[[小金井市
30 min
Photo by sun hung on Unsplash
Dogo Onsen Honkan
道後温泉本館
Dogo Onsen Honkan in Matsuyama, one of Japan's oldest hot springs, is widely recognized as a key inspiration for the magnificent bathhouse in Spirited Away. Its ornate wooden architecture and multi-level structure evoke the grandeur of Yubaba's bathhouse where Chihiro works to free her parents.
Dogo Onsen Station 90 min
Photo by Peter Thomas on Unsplash
Sekizenkan Ryokan
積善館
Sekizenkan in Shima Onsen, Gunma Prefecture is another real-world inspiration for Spirited Away's iconic bathhouse, particularly the red bridge leading to its entrance. The 300-year-old ryokan's atmospheric wooden corridors and the arched bridge over the river powerfully recall the spirit world's mysterious gateway.
Nakanojo Station 120 min
Photo by Yosuke Ota on Unsplash
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
江戸東京たてもの園
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum in Koganei houses preserved historic buildings that Miyazaki visited for research, directly inspiring Spirited Away's spirit town streetscapes. The museum's relocated Meiji and Taisho-era buildings, including a traditional public bathhouse, bring the anime's mysterious shopping street to life.
Musashi-Koganei Station 120 min
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