Tomonoura Port — Ponyo's Scenic Fishing Village Setting

Tomonoura (鞆の浦) is a historic fishing port on Hiroshima's southeastern coast, renowned as the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki's animated film *Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea* (2008). The port's timeless atmosphere — Edo-period wooden merchant houses, stone seawalls, fishing boats bobbing in the harbor, and the iconic Joyato stone lighthouse (built 1859, still standing) — captured Miyazaki's imagination during his two-month stay in 2005, and Tomonoura's landscapes appear throughout the film's hand-drawn backgrounds.

Beyond Studio Ghibli fame, Tomonoura has historical significance as a tidal waypoint during the Edo period when ships awaited favorable tides to navigate the Seto Inland Sea's currents. The port's sheltered bay and strategic location made it a thriving commercial hub, evidenced by preserved merchant residences, sake breweries (including Iroha-maru Taikenkan Museum), and temples dotting the hillsides. The Joyato lighthouse, still functional, is Japan's oldest stone lighthouse and a symbol of the port. Taichoro Observation Deck (対潮楼), a historical guesthouse where Joseon Dynasty Korean envoys stayed, offers sweeping harbor views. Tomonoura's compact size (walkable in 60–90 minutes) and preserved Edo aesthetics make it ideal for slow-paced exploration, photography, and nostalgic reflection on pre-modern Japan — and for Ghibli fans, a pilgrimage to see Ponyo's real-world inspirations.