Did you know that the Studio Ghibli & Hayao Miyazaki movie, Howl’s Moving Castle, was based on the Welsh Diana Wynne Jones novel of the same name?

In the novel, one of the main characters, Howl, is a Cymraeg-speaking (Welsh-speaking, in English) Welshman with the full name Howell Jenkins. The landscapes and the castle, too, are all inspired by the landscapes of Cymru and this can be observed throughout the movie by any viewer with an experience of the country and its diverse landscapes.

In the movie, released in Japan in 2004, this is slightly different and no reference of Cymru is present – though the landscapes are still believed to be inspired by Cymru. Again, this can quite clearly be observed; whether its small cottages planted on the misty hills with herds of sheep waltzing past, or medieval looking castles gracing stone-built towns, the Welsh stamp is visibly there for all to see.

A lesser known fact, perhaps, is that Hayao Miyazaki himself has a strong connection with Cymru. In 1984, he came to the Rhondda to draw its mining villages and communities. Those of you with a knowledge of Welsh industrial history might be aware of the fact that 1984 was, coincidentally enough, the year of a big mining strike – which Miyazaki was even in attendance for. He has gone on record saying:

“I admired those men, I admired the way they battled to save their way of life, just as the coal miners in Japan did. Many people of my generation see the miners as a symbol; a dying breed of fighting men. Now they are gone.”

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Niklas George

Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.