A Town with an Ocean View, Tomonoura, Japan | The Village That Inspired Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo 🌊
today we’re headed to the port town of Tomonoura which is about a hour and a half from Hiroshima Fukuyama is the midpoint of the 2 towns I’m visiting so i’m going to leave my big luggage back in the coin lockers here it’s another 30 minute bus ride from Fukuyama I’ll be spending one night in Tomonoura I love visiting small seaside towns there’s quite a few in Hiroshima since it sits on the Seto inland Sea this charming port town was built in the Heian period for
place to wait out the tides the town is also said to be Hayao Miyazaki’s inspiration for the Ghibli animation ‘Ponyo on the cliff’ the whole town is very Ghibli-coded can’t wait to explore this town! but time for some lunch first I ordered the lunch curry set there’s only 2 dishes on the menu pizza or curry but the curry was amazing now let’s have a walk around leading to the port the streets are lined with these old quaint buildings they seem to me mostly cafes and shops you can definitely find a lot of Ghibli references throughout the town even found a sign from Hayao Miyazaki himself and of course you can spot Ponyo everywhere the town itself looks straight out of a Ghibli movie there’s even have this ryokan designed by Miyazaki it’s definitely giving Ghibli vibes the first floor is a restaurant but unfortunately I couldn’t make a reservation 🙁 so let’s go check in at my accommodation which sits on top of this hill there’s also meant to be a lot of cats roaming around town I’m so glad I left my luggage at the station this is my accommodation for tonight let’s have a tour inside the owner is said to be a huge cat lover the place is a renovated old Japanese house you can see the port from the window there’s also a full kitchen even has a little study and of course the bedroom that looks out to the port it wasn’t for use but they kept the old style bathtub the house is so lovely I wish I could have stayed more than one day this temple was next to the house so I had a quick look around let’s go explore more of the city there’s still quite a few places I want to visit can’t believe how blue the water is it’s such a perfect day to walk around town this stone lighthouse, is recognised as the symbol of Tomonoura the stone lighthouse is over 10 meters tall, making it the largest of its kind time for some ice cream this shop is popular for these one with the light house on them I got the lemonade and vanilla flavour going to enjoy it sitting on the port the lemon and vanilla surprisingly went well together the town is so peaceful there’s meant to be a temple here with an amazing view the town is quite small you can walk everywhere within 10-15 mins this temple is meant to have an amazing view the temple has this panoramic view of the surrounding islands you can visit some of these islands by boat too the open windows also let’s a cool breeze from the sea this island of Bentenjima is actually inaccessible to tourists but is known for it’s distinctive eleven-storied stone pagoda I think it’s time for some coffee this cafe is built inside this renovated old house great place for a afternoon tea or coffee I got their cafe au lait nothing like a ice coffee on a hot day this was exactly what I needed to recharge a popular product of Tomonoura is this Japanese medicinal liquor called homeishu which is made from sixteen spices and plant extracts the owner let me try some and it tasted much like herbal medicine to me but it’s meant to be good for longevity there’s another temple I wanted to visit this one is also on top of this hill here you can see the view of the whole city there’s also the lighthouse this is also where the bell tower is you can here this bell right throughout the town this is the last shrine I wanted to visit today this is a historic shrine in Tomonoura that has existed since the Heian period the shrine has a main hall as well as some smaller shrines but everything seems to be closed for the day also found these cute figures all around the grounds I also wanted to check out the souvenir shop to see what’s popular in this area these cat cookies are so cute there was also a whole section for ponyo these weren’t on sale but local artwork they also had some ponyo goods I’m not the biggest Ponyo fan but cute to have as a souvenir it was already almost 6 but the sun is still up this is why I like to travel during summer I feel like I have so much more time to explore a city tonight’s dinner menu is okonomiyaki there’s not a lot of restaurants open for dinner here but I highly recommend this one serving Hiroshima style okomoniyaki they also cook the okonomiyaki right infront of you which is always fun to watch the chef is so skilled topped with a special okonomiyaki sauce and enjoyed with a cold beer this was so delicious and savoury the sun was slowly starting to set after dinner this pier is meant to have some of the best sunset views the town is so calm this time of day so glad I made it just in time love when the sky turns this pink hue with the sound of the waves slowly crashing some of the fishing boats are sailing out for the night I think this town is perfect if you’re looking for a slow relaxing getaway you can really enjoy the quiet seaside atmosphere there is one connivence store in the whole town wanted to get some dessert summer is also choco mint season in Japan getting my favourite ice cream the town is so empty at night heading back to the inn I had to end the night watching Ponyo it was fun to spot some of the townscape I saw today I haven’t watched this since it first came out so I was more invested than I thought I’d be looks like it’ll be another sunny day I’m almost sad to leave this place but we’ll be headed to our next town today the sun is so strong you need to wear a lot of sunscreen but going to have a cup of tea before I leave and enjoy the view there’s a nice breakfast spot nearby it’s up on this cliff top it’s also one of the few places that opens this early the view from the cafe looks like a painting and the cafe itself is very homey I got the morning set and a black coffee this was simple but tasty one last look at this view hope you guys enjoyed this video see you in the next one 🙂
I spent a day in Tomonoura, the quaint fishing village in Hiroshima Prefecture that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo. 🌊🐟 With ocean views, quiet shrines, and charming local spots, this little port town feels like stepping into a Ghibli movie!
🕒 Timestamps:
0:00 – Hiroshima to Tomonoura
3:07 – Arrive at Tomonoura
03:58 – Lunch at KC CAFE
05:23 – Finding Ponyo
07:37 – Accommodation tour at Tomo Nyahn
10:12 – Walk around the stone lighthouse
11:26 – Lighthouse ice cream
12:44 – Ocean view at Fukuzenji Temple Taichoroh
14:38 – Coffee time in Retro cafe
15:59 – Tasting traditional Homeishu at Tomo Shuzo
17:05 – Town view at Ioji Temple
18:38 – Visiting Nunakuma Shrine
22:07 – Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki at Kichi
24:24 – Sunset view at pier
31:33 – Cafe on a cliff – breakfast
📍Featured Places:
KC CAFE https://maps.app.goo.gl/rRzXUtxPKthy6JLp8
Tomo Nyahn (accomodation) https://maps.app.goo.gl/mnTuWzxpcRhALRVt8
Yaguri Temple https://maps.app.goo.gl/HoGse6wVmHzQh4hw9
Shionone Tomonoura Daifuku (Ice cream shop) https://maps.app.goo.gl/FUgYGF2hnzyNJ9n17
Fukuzenji Temple Taichoroh https://maps.app.goo.gl/wYNRCz6UmPHndaS98
Homeishu-ya Tomo Shuzo (herbal liqueur shop) https://maps.app.goo.gl/gVTwWWkRZ4ErVPS2A
Ioji Temple Bell Tower (医王寺 鐘楼) https://maps.app.goo.gl/3nsHH5U4T5HDj9389
Nunakuma Shrine https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xe4ngB5boa1Vhfeq7
Kichi (old coffee shop) https://maps.app.goo.gl/AKmdNPKTAta2DXhR8
Sabo Funabansho https://maps.app.goo.gl/S24V1sNF5rU6gh4T6
(#Tomonoura #PonyoTown #StudioGhibli#SeasideVillageJapan #JapanVlog #HiddenGemsJapan #TomonouraVlog, Tomonoura – The Days of Old | Overnight Trip From Osaka, Tomonoura: Tradition and Community in a Historic Port – Journeys in Japan, Seaside Towns of Hiroshima Prefecture | 3-day trip )
» ABOUT ME
Hi there! I’m Sol, I was born in Korea but grew up mostly in Sydney, Australia! After living in Tokyo for 4 years I’ve relocated to Seoul! I love to travel, find cute cafes and document my daily life. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy!
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22 Comments
Hi everyone! This week we're the port town of Tomonoura. Where are you guys watching from?
Watching all the way from Miami! I find your videos so comforting 🙂
❤ more pls
your videos are extraordinary. i have to thank you because you have helped me in moments of anxiety and stress and you have been an inspiration to create my own project of bessere and slow living in italy. thank you so much for what you do and please keep it up
私は鞆の浦の近くの町で育ったので、とても懐かしく感じました。ありがとうございます。
Looks exactly like the kind of quiet little town I would love to settle down someday! 😊
omg the opening looked like a scene from an anime sooo pretty
Watching from Adelaide, Australia 😊
i love this small town
Thank you for making such a beautiful video. This place will be my wishlist destination to visit ❤
14:33
I love how you're so soothing and so is your vlog! It feels like I'm living a completely different life; a peaceful and ghibli-like life. Also, I adore Ponyo so it's great to be toured by you in that very town! :)))
So happy to see a video from you in Tomonoura ! I've booked 3 nights in the same house next spring and really looking forward to a peaceful stay…I've been in awe of the view from the temple for over a year and it still makes me tear up just seeing on videos I cant wait to be there in person ! 😃
A very nice video, like all the ones I've seen from you, haha. The views are beautiful, and having ice cream with a good movie is even better. Thanks for sharing your walks, and I hope you can continue doing what you enjoy 🙂 Cheers!
Love your videos. It really makes me calm!
How beautiful you wanna be?
Japan: Yes
I watched it from Perinaldo, a small town in Italy where I live. I watched your vlog while drinking my tea in the morning and watching the swallows building a nest across from my window. Your vlog always calms my soul and I enjoy them very much. Thank you very much. Now the church bells are ringing and I will go and have a cappuccino.
You inspire me a lot to visit japan
I think what it's anime… Great and cute place
Такое спокойное .
Fun fact about Fukuyama (City) that even Sol doesn't know: When The Batman (2022) got released, it was around the same time Fukuyama Castle turned 400-years-old. So to celebrate, Fukuyama gained sister city allegiance with Gotham City through a video conference meeting, a low-key party, and The Batman merch.
There's 4 reasons for this choice:
1. Fukuyama's city animal is a bat, while Batman lives in Gotham City.
2. Fukuyama's city emblem, created in 1917, looks like an upside-down Batman logo. Especially the one worn and utilized by Robert Pattinsom's Batman in the movie. So technically, the emblem was 22 years older than Batman's creation year and debut comic. The city emblem also looks like a mountain, which leads to the following point…
3. The fortress at Fukuyama Castle was built on a hill called Komoriyama, which translates to “Bat Mountain“.
The kanji “蝙”, used in the kanji for bat, “蝙蝠” (“koumori”) can also be read as “luck”, so the city around the castle became known as “Fukuyama” (“Luck Mountain”).
Because of all of this, Fukuyama is now Gotham City's 1st ever irl sister city.
I figure I should share this to any Batman fans in Sol's videos, since it's very obscure knowledge that you don't know unless you research it properly. I also plan to bring it up on 2 Batman fanfiction I'm currently working; not gonna lie, the Tomonoura vlog motivated me enough to write my story somehow. Thanks, Sol!
いつも、すてきな映像をありがとうございます😊おかげで旅気分を、味わうことが、出来ます♪体が、病気のため、不自由に成り、あまり、外に出かけることが、できません．ので、とても、このチャンネルをたのしませていただいております❤😊ゆっくりな、ペースで、紹介されるのが、嬉しいです😊😃