Opening hours, fees and event dates change. Before you go, please confirm the latest details on each facility's or organizer's official information.
“Shichikokuyama” on the hill — Hachikokuyama woods
Stretching along the eastern edge of the Sayama Hills on Higashimurayama's northern rim, Hachikokuyama is said to be the model for “Shichikokuyama,” the hill in Studio Ghibli's My Neighbor Totoro (a fan tradition — never officially confirmed). The hospital that inspired “Shichikokuyama Hospital,” where Mei and Satsuki's mother stays, is also said to be nearby. Strolling through the coppice woods, you can truly feel the satoyama air the sisters ran through.
See Hachikokuyama details →The riverside forest Miyazaki protected — Fuchi-no-mori
The Yanase River runs along the border of Higashimurayama and Tokorozawa. On its banks spreads Fuchi-no-mori, about 7,600 square meters of greenery (including the Tokorozawa side and the opposite bank). It is said to be one of the places where Hayao Miyazaki shaped his ideas for My Neighbor Totoro.
In the 1990s a development plan threatened this forest. To save the disappearing landscape, the two cities purchased the land — reportedly supported by donations from Miyazaki and others — and preserved it as green space. The director has long been involved in local conservation. Today it is a quiet river forest anyone can walk: a scene out of an anime, protected not by development but by people's hands. Take in the story along with the scenery.
- Access: about 5 min on foot from Shin-Akitsu Sta. (JR Musashino line), or 10 min from Akitsu Sta. (Seibu Ikebukuro line).
- Free to stroll (no parking). A place to quietly enjoy riverside nature.
- The area is residential — please walk quietly and mind your manners.
The “Shichikokuyama model” theory is fan tradition, not officially confirmed. This column is based on verifiable facts from Higashimurayama City and local guides. Access and visiting conditions may change — check the latest information before you go.
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