Anime location
Shiratani Unsuikyo (the moss forest)
The moss forest Ghibli scouted for Princess Mononoke. A 90-minute walk in, on a real mountain trail.
A ravine of granite boulders, ancient cedar and deep moss above Miyanoura on Yakushima. Ghibli staff scouted here during production of Princess Mononoke, and the section known as the moss forest is about 90 minutes' walk from the entrance hut. Yakushima receives extraordinary rainfall, which is what produces the moss.
Why it is worth it
No photograph conveys it. The scale of the trees and the depth of the moss are the reason the film looks the way it does.
When to go
Busiest in summer and during Japanese holiday periods.
Good to know
This is a mountain trail, not a walkway: proper footwear, rain gear and water are required, and it rains most days. Register at the hut on the way in. A guide is strongly recommended if you are going beyond the moss forest to Taikoiwa. Getting to Yakushima means a ferry or a flight from Kagoshima, so allow at least two nights.
Studio Ghibli
Princess Mononoke — the moss forest Ghibli scouted on Yakushima.