For years, fans of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away have searched for the real-world setting that inspired its mysterious bathhouse in the movie.
Many point to Jiufen, a misty mountain town in Taiwan with narrow alleys and glowing lanterns. And visually, it fits. But despite popular belief, the film’s creator, Hayao Miyazaki, never cited Jiufen as an influence.
Instead, the world of Spirited Away was shaped by places deep within Japan’s countryside, where hot spring towns like Shima Onsen and Dōgō Onsen provided the textures, sounds, and atmosphere that brought the spirit realm to life.
Fans of the film claim Jiufen, Taiwan was Miyazaki’s inspiration, but he never cited this.
Spirits in the Steam
Shima Onsen, located in Gunma Prefecture, is widely considered one of the key inspirations for the bathhouse in Spirited Away.
The town has been a therapeutic retreat for centuries. Its name means “40 thousand,” referencing the number of ailments its waters are said to cure.
Shima Onsen
The Sekizenkan Ryokan, built in 1691, is one of Japan's oldest wooden inns and closely resembles the film’s towering bathhouse.
With its red bridges, glowing lanterns, and tiered wooden façade, it feels like a place where spirits might check in after sunset.
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A World Between Worlds
While developing Spirited Away, Miyazaki visited bath towns throughout Japan.
He wanted to capture a fading world, one of creaking inns, hidden alleyways, and places where the boundary between the real and the surreal felt thin.
Jiufen’s popularity as a supposed influence is understandable. The teahouses, stairways, and lantern-lit streets are undeniably cinematic. But Miyazaki never acknowledged it as a source.
Instead, locations like Shima Onsen and Dōgō Onsen left a clearer mark. These are the places where he sketched, observed, and immersed himself in the details that eventually filled the screen.
Dōgō Onsen
Stepping Into the Story
Today, Shima Onsen is a lesser-known destination for travelers and Ghibli fans alike. Unlike other popular sites, it has managed to retain its calm.
Visitors soak in the same mineral-rich waters, cross the same red bridges, and wander a town that still whispers with old-world charm.
If you pause long enough, you might just catch the brush of a paper door or the echo of footsteps belonging to something... not entirely human.
Hayao Miyazaki
Until next time,
Emails From Afar Team
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