SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police launched an investigation after the discovery of a human skeleton in a forested area of Tokorozawa City made famous in a Hayao Miyazaki animation, reports Nippon News Network (May 31).
At just before noon on Saturday, a man feeding cats reported the discovery. “There are human bones,” he reportedly said.
The skeleton was covered by leaves. Police will use the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death while also seeking to identify the person.
The man visited the same area a week ago and saw what he thought were bones of an animal. However, this time he realized they were that of a human.
The area, known as “Totoro no Mori” (Totoro Forest), was the inspiration of director Hayao Miyazaki for the 1988 film “My Neighbor Totoro.”