Japanese animator and director Hayao Miyazaki has enchanted and captured the hearts of audiences across the globe with his incredible films. Princess Mononoke, released in 1999, is one of his iconic films along with Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Kiki’s Delivery Service. He is known for creating animated locations and food that we all want to visit and eat. Japan has now sent a press release announcing their creation of a campsite that transports you into Emishi Village from the film!
Located in the Mie prefecture of Japan, a region with vast protected areas and many sacred sites is the Uga Valley. Dense forests, waterfalls and breathtaking scenery create a perfect environment for Japan’s new attraction: a luxury campsite plucked straight from the artistic vision of Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke. The campground is set to be designed by the Danish design company Nordisk in collaboration with the Danish Embassy in Japan. Titled Hygge Circles Ugakei, Hygge translates roughly into a feeling of comfort. The beautiful design of Hygges Circles Ugakei conveys a sense of peace and immense comfort with its lush accommodations.
Back in 2019, it was announced that Japan would be building a Studio Ghibli theme park, featuring areas based on Hayao Miyazaki’s most famous films. There is an area planned in the park titled “Mononoke Village Area,” inspired by Princess Mononoke’s Irontown and Emishi Village. This is the only way fan’s assumed they would experience the iconic scenery in person, but the new campsite will emerge as a competing attraction to the Studio Ghibli theme park.
Check out some concept photos below:
Image from PR Times
Image from PR Times
Welcoming guests into cozy tents, warm lighting and the ambiance of mountain streams and rivers, the campground celebrates the idea of “nature as a luxury.”
Image from PR Times
Image from PR Times
While Hygge Circles Ugakei aims to immerse guests in luxurious nature (Mashable SE Asia claims that HCU is trying to “achieve a multitude of Sustainable Development Goals according to the Japanese Model when it comes to outdoor tourism and entertainment”), the campground is not very far from the bullet train in Nagoya (about an hour away).
If you are already itching to attend Hygge Circles Ugakei, the attraction is not planned to open until 2021. The Studio Ghibli theme park is not far behind with an opening date planned for 2022. In the meantime, you can visit the Inokashira Park in Mitaka, Japan to experience their Studio Ghibli museum! Meanwhile, China opens the World’s Tallest and Fastest Swing, read here to find out more about it!
