The forests around the town of Tokorozawa, Japan (just north of Tokyo, in Saitama Prefecture), are set to become a protected area. The land is being sold to the Tokorozawa Project, funded in part by Studio Ghibli, and will consist of 8.6 acres (3.5 hectares) of land with about 7000 trees. Studio Ghibli being involved in creating a protective forest is not at all uncharacteristic if you know the themes behind some of its most famous films. Stories like Princess Mononoke, and Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind have strong environmental messages, showing exactly where Miyazaki and Ghibli stand on the subject.
As for the area of Tokorozawa, it’s actually where Miyazaki has been living since the 1970s. And the forest around the city served as the inspiration for one of Miyazaki’s most famous movies - My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki definitely has a personal interest in ensuring that land stays protected in its natural state, and is happy to use his studio’s funding to do so.
Totoro's Forests
Currently, a short walk train ride out of the center of Tokorozawa, you can find a group of nature reserves titled Totoro’s Forests. The area is not huge, but it’s a nice piece of protected land where one can escape into nature for a few hours. Totoro’s Forest has many easy hiking trails accessible for people of all fitness levels, weaving through the trees and hills of the Sayama Hills area. And it's something to do while waiting for the Studio Ghibli theme park to open.
Totoro's Forests began in 1990 by five monetary contributors - including, of course, Hayao Miyazaki himself. With his backing, the forest preservation gained donations from all across Japan. The number of forests continues to grow as donations keep coming in, and visitors come from around the world to appreciate nature and feel like they have stepped right into a Studio Ghibli film.
As you can guess from the name, Totoro’s Forests are the area that served as Miyazaki’s original inspiration for My Neighbor Totoro. While the location of the movie is never mentioned in the film, it is based on the countryside around Tokorozawa. The movie is famous for its beautiful depictions of rural Japanese life, and the forest that the spirit Totoro protects.
While you’re not guaranteed to see Totoro or the Cat Bus if you visit Totoro’s Forests, you never know what else you might find. Other animals like deer live in the area, and you can at least escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the side of Japan that Miyazaki wants to share with everyone. And if you do see some acorns, well. You’ll know that Totoro has probably been around recently. Near the forest, there is also a house styled after the one in the movie called Kurosuke's House. Inside is a giant Totoro replica, and while it’s free to enter, donations can be made to the Totoro Fund. This money is also used to continue to preserve and protect the forest. Kurosuke's House is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
A New Project
This latest project to protect even more forested land around Tokorozawa started with a chat Miyazaki had with the mayor in 2018 about the significance of the area. Now, it’s become a huge undertaking at the cost of 2.6 billion yen ($20 million USD) to purchase the 8.6 acres of forest. To help raise the funds (and in addition to government money and crowdfunding), Studio Ghibli is contributing 5 pieces of background art from My Neighbor Totoro inspired by the region.
These will be used to create beautiful reproduction paintings, and will be sold for 25,000 yen ($185 USD) each to anyone willing to make the pledge. 1000 of these paintings will be available from September 2022, and more may be available in the future depending on demand. Hayao Miyazaki is outspoken about environmental issues and is putting money where his mouth is. Thanks in part to Studio Ghibli, even more beautiful forests north of Tokyo will be protected from development, and nature will remain as it has always been - and can be enjoyed by future generations, too.
If you ever find yourself wanting to get away from the chaos of Tokyo and experience a bit of Miyazaki’s romanticized Japan, it’s just a short train ride to Tokorozawa. From there, you can see the forests that inspired My Neighbor Totoro, and help protect them yourself. It’s what Totoro would want. And an alternative otaku destination from the usual choices. You can even wear a themed yukata and enjoy a picnic lunch, as there are plenty of nice picnic areas to choose from.
Sources: SoraNews24, Totoro Fund