‘Princess Mononoke’, the Studio Ghibli animation, was inspired by the thick forests of Yakushima. Hayao Miyazaki stayed in Anbo and roamed the forests with his crew before drawing the storyboard. There are many parts in the film that match Yakushima’s distinct scenery exactly.
Just as art imitates life, so life imitates art and there is now an area called ‘Mononoke’s forest’ on the Kusugawa trail just up from the Shiratani mountain hut which has become a major draw for tourists.
For anyone not familiar with the movie – here is the trailer.
For more information about Yakushima check out the one and only Yakumonkey Guide
