Kanaguya Onsen
The hot spring behind ''Spirited Away''
Nestled in the heart of Shibu Onsen Village in Nagano Prefecture, Kanaguya Onsen is a lovely 250-year-old ryokan . An age that in no way discredits him, since even today the wooden inn would be one of the most popular in the Shibu thermal complex. The reason ? Its bewitching atmosphere would have inspired the decorations of Miyazaki's " Spirited Away "!
In the heart of Shibu Onsen Village
Located in the small town of Yamanouchi in Nagano , Shibu Onsen Village is a spa complex over 400 years old.
Very close to the Jigokudani monkey park, this pleasure village is as well known for its legend as for its exceptional setting: cobbled streets and wooden buildings dating from the Edo period (1603-1868) which house nine baths in the open air whose water would be miraculous...
- See also: Jigokudani Monkey Park
Indeed, anyone bathing in all of the complex's outdoor onsen would undoubtedly see their luck quota increase when they get out of the water! A privilege that would only be granted to customers of the ryokan in the village, since only people spending the night in one of the many inns on the site are authorized to access all the sources of the Shibu Onsen Village .
We don't say if the famous director Hayao Miyazaki decided to try the experiment, but the fact remains that one of the ryokans in the village directly inspired him to create the disconcerting universe of "Spirited Away" . His name? The Kanaguya Onsen!
The onsen that inspired Miyazaki
To create the mystical decorations of ''Spirited Away'' , Hayao Miyazaki drew his inspiration from several hot springs in Asia. Among them, the two-hundred-year-old onsen of Kanaguya.
- See also: The Dogo-Onsen
250 years old, the Kanaguya onsen has kept all its former glory: long corridors of purple-tinted wood, old lanterns illuminating the small stone paths that separate the buildings, and 7 indoor baths to complete its two sources in the open air , it was enough for the cartoonist to decide to immortalize the inn on the big screen.
It must also be said that the ryokan has everything of an exceptional thermal spring. Supplied by 4 different water sources , Kanaguya Onsen is one of the most popular sites in the village. Especially with its 5 private baths that delight its customers!
Lovers ofStudio Ghibli , this is the place to stay if you want to begin your journey to the heart of the miraculous waters of Shibu Village .
Address, timetable & access
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Address
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Timetable
20 minutes on foot from Yudanaka station (Nagano Dentetsu-Nagano line) -
Price
the night starts at 20,520yen per person (165 euros), breakfast and dinner included. -
Access
check-in 3 p.m., check-out 10 a.m. -
Website
http://www.kanaguya.com/english.html