Mitaka Onsen

Mitaka Onsen is a community thermal facility in the city of Mitaka in western Tokyo, whose most celebrated landmark—the Studio Ghibli Museum—draws millions of fans annually from across the world to immerse themselves in the hand-drawn animation universe of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, where the rooftop robot soldier, the Cat Bus installation, and moving short films create a physical encounter with the enchanted world of My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke. The siliceous mineral waters provide warm, restorative bathing for Mitaka's residents and for Ghibli pilgrims who combine the museum visit with a walk through Inokashira Park—the romantic lakeside park in neighboring Musashino City where paddleboat swans drift under cherry trees in one of Tokyo's most beloved spring blossom destinations. The whimsical creativity of Studio Ghibli, the natural beauty of Inokashira Park, and the warm mineral waters of the neighborhood onsen create an unexpectedly magical cluster of Tokyo's most intimate cultural experiences.