Studio Ghibli’s visually stunning animated movie Spirited Away has long been this writer’s personal favourite. Its Alice in Wonderland-style adventure, the enchanting characters, the enormous, bustling bathhouse and of course the piles of mouth-watering food have had me going back to the movie time and time again since its release in 2001.
Little did I know, however, that the mountain region of Jiufen, situated just 30 kilometres from Taiwan’s capital city, is where creator Hayao Miyazaki drew much of his inspiration for the film.
Come with us now as we pair the many sights and scenes from the enchanting animated movie with their real-life counterparts.
Taiwan, at one time annexed by Japan, is a unique island whose culture has its roots in many countries. Even today, the older generation speak both Japanese and Chinese, and Japanese influences remain in some areas’ architecture. It’s little wonder, then, that Miyazaki sought the place out as a source of inspiration for the uncanny, other-worldly, setting for his story to take place in.