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Visit Kiki’s Bakery at a unique fairytale village in Japan

7 Comments
By Oona McGee

In Kyushu, there’s a tiny little village that’s drawing in visitors from across the world. Part Ghibli fantasy, part English Cotswolds, the town houses an Alice in Wonderland store, a Peter Rabbit petting zoo, and a bread shop modelled on the bakery in "Kiki’s Delivery Service." And if you can’t bear to tear yourself away from the gorgeous shop-fronts and blossoming gardens, there’s a hotel where you can stay and gaze out at the cluster of cottages from the comfort of your own room. We step into the fantasy world and take a closer look at the shops, restaurants and services on offer in this special little town.

Known as Yufuin Floral Village, there’s very little English information about the town on the Internet, which only adds to the intriguing atmosphere.

Opened by a local businessman in November 2012, the buildings were designed to look like those in the Cotswolds, an area of England renowned for its beauty. The Cotswolds is so magical that several fantasy scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed there.

The village lives up to its name with plenty of blooming floral displays and a variety of small, manicured English gardens.

The town is set against a mountain backdrop, with roofs so low you could reach out and touch them.

One of the popular attractions is the Peter Rabbit Animal Garden, with rabbits, hedgehogs and even a cockatoo. And yes, that’s a live owl staring at you from the window. A duck named Jemima is on hand to take you into the world of Beatrix Potter.

And in among all this English-ness is a quaint bread shop called Kiki’s Bakery.

Step inside and you can meet Kiki. Step out of the animated Japanese fantasy and into the Queen’s Soft, where you can try rose-flavored ice cream.

The village is so small you could easily do a round in just under a minute. But where’s the fun in rushing? The beauty of the town will have you strolling at a slow pace without you even knowing it.

Yufuin Floral Village 1503-3 Yufuincho, Kawakami Yufu-shi, Oita-ken, Japan

Sources: Yufuin Floral Village, Matome Naver

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Our impressions from the live-action Kiki’s Delivery Service film -- The Five Japanese Streets That People of Japan Most Want to Visit -- How to properly pronounce “Ghibli” and other fun trivia about the legendary animation studio

© RocketNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


7 Comments
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another place I need to visit whenever I even have the money to go to Japan.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This is three hours away from me! Maybe a good day outing during Golden Week since I didn't make any long term travel plans, hmm...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

**My childish imagination sent me to Grimm Brother's fairytales or to Harry Potter. Lovely ! Thanks.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Goodness sakes. While this may tie-in to the seemingly can-do-no-wrong Ghibli empire, who the hell green lighted another fairytale amusement park in Kyushu? Huis Ten Bosch anyone?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

What's the name of that black cat in the third photo?

Shame he's locked in a cage.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

another place I need to visit whenever I even have the money to go to Japan.

Perhaps you should visit the Cotswolds!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Sabrage, the cat's name is Jiji. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiki's_Delivery_Service

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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