Food from Spirited Away: the Feast of the Gods and Forbidden Dishes

Food from Spirited Away: the Feast of the Gods and Forbidden Dishes

In Miyazaki's Spirited Away, food is literally forbidden fruit: Chihiro's parents are turned into pigs for eating the food of the gods. Bathhouse feasts, saffron onigiri, red and white paste — food here carries magical weight.

History and origin

The visual lushness of food in the film is the result of Ghibli artists' meticulousness. The team studied traditional Japanese confectionery (wagashi) and festive dishes from ryokan inns. The food in Spirited Away is an idealised Japanese celebratory meal.

Key ingredients

To recreate the feast atmosphere, make onigiri with umeboshi, Japanese wagashi sweets (nerikiri, yokan) and miso soup. Beautiful tableware and atmospheric presentation are an essential part of the experience.

How to cook at home

Nerikiri is the most accessible wagashi to make at home: mix white anko paste (shiro-anko) with rice flour and colouring, then shape into figures. Figures inspired by Spirited Away are often shaped like the spirits.

Try this recipe at home — it's much easier than it looks and will make you feel part of your favourite universe.