A quaint cafe, adorable owls, and amazing architecture are all yours to discover in Shizuoka’s Nukumori no Mori.
With a name that translates loosely to "Cozy Forest," it's no wonder Nukumori no Mori (ぬくもりの森) is a charming destination any day―bright and sunny, or rainy and overcast (like most days during Japan's rainy season)! Built by architect Shigeyoshi Sasaki starting in the 80s, Nukumori no Mori is now a little collection of buildings big and small surrounded by trees, which all looks a little like a European village out of a fairytale. The designs may not be taken directly from Miyazaki's sketches, but because of the shared inspiration, we can see why Nukumori no Mori reminds lots of people of Ghibli movies.
Found in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, it may seem a bit off the beaten path, but Hamamatsu is actually easily accessible on the shinkansen. Read more about our whole trip there last spring, right here!
Old-fashioned European masonry, Gaudi-inspired plasterwork, greenery in every direction and nothing created without specific intent, Shigeyoshi Sasaki and the illustrators of Studio Ghibli take advantage of similar imagery to create magical spaces that feel like another world. Wandering through Nukumori no Mori, it's not hard to pretend you're Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle, and they've included a little nod to the frequent comparison by setting up a pretend bus stop sign modeled after the one in My Neighbor Totoro.
Inside the park, among the cluster of small huts selling trinkets and accessories, is a little owl cottage! A bit like the cat cafes scattered around Japan, inside you'll find over a dozen different owls, all shapes and sizes. For just 1,000 yen you can spend a while with the birds, admiring them up close and giving the friendlier ones gentle head pats.
Before Nukumori no Mori became a public attraction, the main buildings were once the private houses of Sasaki and his family. Now, they're home to a bakery and a fascinating cafe. Hallways like carved cave tunnels, reading areas with wooden trees and comfy cushions, terrace seating like an Italian villa, you could easily spend hours just sipping coffee, snacking on the cafe food, and exploring.
Cute leather goods and accessories, fragrant essential oils, little knickknacks and decorative objects galore―the fun of shopping at Nukumori no Mori comes from both the products themselves, and the time you can spend wandering all the rooms and spaces.
It should be obvious by now, but everywhere you look within Nukumori no Mori is another place you want to take a picture―and they make it even better by including little Easter eggs like this heart-shape in the railing. Dress up as Castle in the Sky's Sheeta and Pazu and pretend you're on Laputa, make it a fashion shoot up against the scenic stone walls, or just snap some insta-bae shots around the cafe for instagram!
So, have we convinced you? Thinking about visiting Nukumori no Mori on your next trip through central Japan? Let us know on the Japankuru twitter, instagram, and facebook! We'd love to answer any questions and help you plan your trip.
Details
NAME:Nukumori no Mori (ぬくもりの森)
PROFILE
Follow us @Japankuru on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MOREWhich snacks make the best Japanese souvenirs?~ Jaga Pirika ~ 일본과자 선물 뭐하지?~자가피리카 편~ #pr #calbee #jagapokkuru #japanesesnacks #japanesefood #japanesesouvenir #japantravel #japantrip #naritaairport #hokkaido #나리타국제공항 #일본여행선물 #흔하지않은기념품 #일본쇼핑리스트 #일본과자추천 #고구마과자 #일본간식추천 #일본면세점쇼핑 #개별포장 #일본감자칩 #도쿄나리타공항면세점 #현지인추천 #일본여행 #일본기념품리스트 #자가포쿠루 #자가피리카
Asakusa's Sanja Matsuri, one of the biggest festivals in all of Tokyo, is almost here! Make sure you check out the festival route so you don't miss all the festivities this May. #asakusa #sanjafestival #sanjamatsuri #asakusashrine #sensoji #sensojitemple #japanesefestival #shintoshrine #japaneseculture #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #asakusasightseeing #matsuri #japantrip #japantravel #springinjapan #tokyotravel #japankuru #산자마츠리 #아사쿠사 #일본마츠리 #일본여행 #일본5월
Odaiba's DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to the famous real-size 20m-tall Unicorn Gundam, and the popular shopping center has even more Gundam on the inside! Check out the Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor for shelves upon shelves of Gunpla, and the Gundam Base Tokyo Annex on the 2nd floor for cool anime merchandise. Both shops have tons of limited-edition items! #pr #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #PR #divercity #divercitytokyoplaza #tokyoshopping #gundam #unicorngundam #gundambasetokyo #anime #otaku #gunpla #japankuru #오다이바 #다이바시티도쿄 #오다이바건담 #건담 #일본건담 #건프라 #건담베이스도쿄
Evangelion, in miniature!? Tokyo's SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum is actually a must-see for anime lovers, thanks to the tiny Evangelion Hangar and Tokyo-III... plus a whole universe of other scenes both real and fictional. #smallworlds #smallworldstokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japantrip #japantravel #에반게리온 #스몰월드 #에반겔리온 #スモールワールズ #오다이바 #아리아케
Have you sat down for a snack at Sumida Aquarium yet? This aquarium next to Tokyo Skytree is known for its penguins and garden eels, but we can't get enough of their cute snacks! There are lots of good seats around the aquarium, too, so it almost feels like one big cafe. 🐧 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #sumidaaquarium #skytree #tokyoskytree #solamachi #sumida #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #aquarium #japanesesweets #themecafe #すみだ水族館 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #igerstokyo #explorejapan
For anime fans, the Evangelion areas at Small Worlds Miniature Museum are a must see! The tiny miniature people in the Evangelion Hangar look like ants beneath the moving Unit-01, Unit-00, and Unit-02! And over in Tokyo-III, characters like Shinji, Rei, and Katsuragi live life on a miniature scale. #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #ariake #smallworlds #miniaturemuseum #smallworldstokyo #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japankuru #스몰월드 #에반게리온 #오다이바 #오다이바관광 #오다이바스몰월드 #미니어쳐