Enjoy The Spirited Away Bathhouse In Person: 3 Onsen Inspired By The Film
Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki’s beautiful classic, is one of the most successful Japanese films of all time, and it retains a particular fascination.
It carries you to a strange land just by watching it, but unless you could visit the Spirited Away bathhouse?
Aburaya, the story’s iconic onsen, is based on some very real and very beautiful locations. Why not include one during your next expedition?
Continue reading to find out how you might familiarise yourself in the spirit of such beachside hotels — as well as a reward accessible museum in Tokyo.
1st Spirited Away Bathhouse: Onsen Dogo Matsuyama, Honkan
In The Photography of Spirited Away, Dogo Onsen in These, Ehime Prefecture, was revealed as the inspiration for Aburaya. This onsen’s main strength is that it is the oldest in Japan, going back over 3,000 years. Who knows how long have jumped in since then, but it has to be a great deal. Dogo Onsen, with its famed healing abilities, has also been a royal refuge since 1899. According to tradition, the curing waters were found by a wounded heron. It was noted by the villagers regularly, and it finally made a remarkable recovery. They led the way and have continued to do so ever since. We can’t guarantee any wonders after only one soak, but the natives confess by it.
Another of the baths at the Dogo Onsen Honkan acted as the basis for the Spirited Away Bathhouse. The Konkan (main entrance) is a National Significant Historical Property that was restored in 1894 and is highlighted in the Michelin Green Map for its elegance and importance. Visiting now will transport you away in cost and time you just 410. The wooden wall construction strongly influences the Spirited Away bathhouse’s architecture. Its close, corridors interior and twisty corridors, in general, enable workers to appear and vanish as though through magic.
Dogo Onsen is undertaking upgrades in preparation for 2020. Usually, the Tama-no-Yu and Kami-no-Yu swimming areas, separate rest areas, and two public-private offices are accessible. They also have a small tour of the onsen’s most well-known locations. Dogo Onsen Honkan, Matsuyama City’s Spirited Away bathhouse, has a separate restroom. However, the Yushinden room principle is “look, don’t touch” — this area is strictly reserved for the Royal Bloodline, who haven’t made a formal trip since the 1950s.
2. Sekizenkan, Shima Onsen, Spirited Away Bathhouse
Shima Onsen is a quaint beach resort town in Gunma Prefecture’s hills, and it is host to the famous Sekizenkan ryokan. The Spirited Away bond here is remarkable, in its striking red bridge — so you don’t need to hold your breath to pass safely. Another ancient hot spring spa is Sekizenkan. Its bamboo honkan was founded in 1691, creating it Japan’s oldest onsen building. The secret feeling, hidden away far in the trees, makes it possible to believe you’ve crossed over to the spirit realm. We dare you to come behind your Ghibli Radar, sending shivers down your back.
Shima Onsen translates to “40,000 Hot Springs,” and these hot springs are often regarded as “the remedy for 40,000 illnesses.” Bathing in the mafic seas is said to assist with rheumatism, psychological conditions, and gashes. Even as drinking the hot spring water is said to help with skin, digestive system, and even losing weight. The two main houses, Sanso and Kashotei, both Designated Culture Assets, provide more contemporary facilities in addition to the old honkan.
Building Sanso
The Sanso Building was built in 1936 in the Momoyama-period design by architects of the time, yet every room’s fixtures highlight their fine craftsmanship. The framework is now a registered tangible intellectual property that politicians and celebrities visit. Sanso, which is constructed on a hill immediately behind the honkan, attaches to the honkan through a mystical underground tunnel a further Spirited Away link.
Shima Onsen’s Spirited Away bathhouse is located under Sekizenkan. The latest structure, Kashotei, is located much farther into the woods at the highest point on the lands, near a large town noise. Classic Japanese images suggest scenes of old pine trees, high skies, and floating clouds. This location offers travelers a slow, quiet, and exclusive experience in dark woodlands.
3. Kaguya, Shibu Onsen, Spirited Away Bathhouse
As you would imagine, Shibu Onsen is another classic hot-spring hotel, this time high in the Japanese Alps. For even more than 250 years, the ryokan Kanaguya has been buried deep on an Edo-period side lane. Even if Kaguya isn’t formally recognized as Aburaya’s source, it hasn’t kept people from drawing comparisons.
Although Studio Ghibli has remained quiet on the topic, the ryokan’s interior contains striking parallels, and, coincidentally, Joe Hisaishi, who served on the film’s score, grew up in nearby Nakano City.
Despite this, a short tour of this rare inn shows why Ghibli fans book it daily since they can only visit it if they remain overnight. Although the architecture is stunning, Kanaguya is also known for its soothing waters. Kaguya has nine separate baths, each with its supply of water. These are used to fill five private pools, one for men and one for females, and two public outdoor baths.
Area of Shibu Onsen
Beyond Kanaguya, the town of Shibu Onsen is worth visiting in its own right. Although Kanaguya is another Spirited Away bathhouse that can only visit if you remain overnight, visitors at any ryokan in town can obtain an onsen-hopping token that enables them to visit all of the Soto-yu outside baths in the city. The popular way to experience a hot spring beach resort like Shibu Onsen is to go onsen hopping.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What sort of nature is a faceless spirit?
No-Face is a shadowy ghost that seems to be a black person with a white mask. He consumes other spirits and can consume their feelings into his soul, allowing him to imitate their behaviors, especially negative ones, culminating in his conversion into a villain.
What was the reason for being spirited away?
The Dogo Onsen is a Japanese hot spring.
Although some guidebooks and articles say that the old gold city of Jiufen inspired the film in Taiwan, Miyazaki has refuted this. The Dogo Onsen is also often cited as a major influence for the Spirited Away onsen/bathhouse.
Summary:
The Spirited Away Bathhouse is built in the typical Japanese bathhouse theme, with a color scheme that includes red, green, and semi-dark brown tones. A fountain can also be located at the bridge’s passing. Separate from the main gate, and several side exits and back doors are not visible to consumers. Some ancient, shaky side steps directly lead into Kamajii’s Boiler Space, preventing the normal method of reaching through internal lifts.
The Bathhouse has many levels. They are counted in a unique way that combines the terms “,” which means “heaven,” and "which means “earth.” There are functional, one-way lifts that fly to any, if not many, of the floors by pulling a lever.