One of the main attractions of Shiratani Unsuikyo is a part of the forest that served as the inspiration for the Stugio Ghibli animated film Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke). Oga Kazuo, the lead artist for the film, spent lots of time here working on sketches for the movie's forests. The mountains of the film were further inspired by Akita Prefecture's Shirakami Sanchi Mountains.