[Tama City] Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of the Ghibli film “Whisper of the Heart,” a tour of Seiseki Sakuragaoka in Tama City, Tokyo, a town that resonates with the film Tama City Press Release: October 23, 2025 To Members of the Media Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of the Ghibli film “Whisper of the Heart,” we explore Seiseki Sakuragaoka in Tama City, Tokyo, a town that resonates with the film. Guided tour of the museum held October 11th (Sat) – 12th About 30 minutes by train from Shinjuku, Seiseki-Sakuragaoka in Tama City, Tokyo, is said to have been a major inspiration for the production of Studio Ghibli’s animated film “Whisper of the Heart” (producer, screenwriter, and storyboard artist: Hayao Miyazaki, director: Yoshifumi Kondo). This year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of “Whisper of the Heart.” To commemorate this, a guided tour of famous locations from the film was held in Seiseki-Sakuragaoka from Saturday, October 11th to Sunday, October 12th, sponsored by the Seiseki Tourism and Urban Development Council (with cooperation from Tama City). The film “Whisper of the Heart,” first released in 1995, has remained a timeless milestone youth film for 30 years, captivating countless fans. This time, a guided tour of Seiseki Sakuragaoka, a journey through the world of “Whisper of the Heart,” was organized by the Seiseki Tourism and Urban Development Council (composed of volunteers who love Seiseki Sakuragaoka from both within and outside the city), which is actively working to revitalize Seiseki Sakuragaoka through content tourism and other means. Of the 711 applicants from across the country, 78 people made it through the six-fold gap to participate in the tour. Participants included people from Gifu and Ehime prefectures. In addition to media, American influencer Honeykree, a huge fan of “Whisper of the Heart,” also participated. The guided tour began at the “Postbox of Youth” monument in front of Seiseki-Sakuragaoka Station, modeled after the memorable “Chikyu-ya” store featured in the film. The tour took about an hour, passing through Sakura Street and Irohazaka, with explanations given at each spot, and finally to the Sakuragaoka rotary in Sakuragaoka 4-chome. Stamps were available at the three spots, and many participants took part in the stamp rally, completing their own “Seiseki Sakuragaoka Walking Map.”
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168911/8/168911-8-4da6f5027e26235c66e2513faa075aaf-1024×768.jpg After passing through the magnificent Sakura Street, which gives the town its name, and crossing the river, you’ll come across Irohazaka, a curving uphill road. Going up Irohazaka, you’ll find the stairs that appear in the movie!
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168911/8/168911-8-69c1fe02c2f35cd9cf21a324dfc17128-3900×2600.jpg The view from the Irohazaka stairs is a truly breathtaking sight. Continuing further, there’s a curve that takes you past Konpira Shrine and the remains of the castle tower.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168911/8/168911-8-e045934a7ed62d7e9b38dfd8f2adbc27-1024×768.jpg Then, if you head towards the rotary, you’ll find Western
Confectionery Noah and Dining Wasakura, where you can take a break and immerse yourself in the world of “Whisper of the Heart” to your heart’s content. And beyond the hill, you can see the iconic Atago Water Tower, which also appears in the film.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168911/8/168911-8-dd7d23f79d60325be3ef3a1b8ea95fcf-3900×2600.jpg Ota, who served as our guide on the guided tour, has been a fan of the film since its release. He visited Seiseki-Sakuragaoka for the first time shortly after the film’s release and said, “I was captivated by the beauty of the hills and the atmosphere of the town. I decided that day that I wanted to live here.” Mr. Ota said, “The town of
Seiseki-Sakuragaoka lives on as a setting that deeply resonates with the work. I want to work with the hope of inspiring visitors and bringing pride to the residents.” Seiseki Sakuragaoka is a residential area with beautiful scenery harmonizing with lush greenery. It has long been known as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot, and the breathtaking views from the Tama Hills have made it the setting for a variety of anime and other content. Recently, the multi-purpose space “Seiseki Kawamachi” opened along the Tama River, just five minutes from the station, and activities like SUP and park yoga have expanded. According to the latest survey, the Seiseki Sakuragaoka area has seen an increase in people in their 20s and 30s moving in. As an area with one of the lowest numbers of vacant homes in the country, it has become a popular town for families.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/168911/8/168911-8-01ddc66480295e1957c9e64044e2a85e-1037×778.jpg ■ “Whisper of the Heart Guided Tour” Event Overview Date and Time: October 11th (Saturday) and 12th (Sunday) First session: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Second session: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Location:
Seiseki-Sakuragaoka Station – Sakura Street – In front of Family Mart Seiseki-Sakuragaoka Store – Irohazaka Street – Irohazaka Park – Konpira Shrine – Sakuragaoka Rotary Number of participants: 78 (Number of applicants: 711) Copyright ©
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