Sip some tea with Totoro in this Saitama town overflowing with nature

Tokorozawa is drenched in the magical forest atmosphere you’d expect from a fantasy anime. The western Saitama Prefecture city was the inspiration for Studio Ghibli’s widely-loved film "My Neighbor Totoro," after all.

This whimsical woodland is full of hiking trails, serene lakes, and green tea farms only 30 minutes north of Tokyo. You can even meet Totoro in person!

If you’ve ever wanted to escape into a Miyazaki film — and can’t get a ticket for the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo — put Tokorozawa and its Totoro Forest on your travel list.

Totoro Forest

You’ll find the Totoro Forest among Tokorozawa’s Sayama Hills. It’ll feel as if you’ve stepped right into the movie if you visit during summer when the forest is overflowing with lush greenery.

The area is a protected nature reserve funded by donations through the Foundation of Totoro no Furusato (The Hometown of Totoro).

Film director Hayao Miyazaki himself was one of the first to donate to the area preservation fund.

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