Beginning with the canal’s origins from the 16th century to the 1970s, a great emphasis is placed on the mantra of ‘Living with Nature, disposing of waste by recycling,’ which became a central focal point in the community's struggle to preserve the waterway system.
[4] Miyazaki was inspired to work on another project by an old childhood visit to Minamata Bay on the west coast of Kyushu, whose waters had been polluted by various chemical toxins and resulted in the local population feeling unwell.
Miyazaki had considered the tranquil setting of Yanagawa suitable for a story about young school children and man’s relationship with the natural world, similar to his previous work.
[3] Takahata was enlisted to serve as a location scout for the project and spent the months following his arrival exploring not only the waterways themselves via donkobune (narrow riverboats) but also the surrounding areas and people to whom the canal was a sense of unity and civic pride.
When Takahata met Tsutae Hiromatsu, the head of water supply in the region, he decided to focus his attention on making a documentary about the community’s efforts to preserve the waterways, dropping the animated aspects almost entirely.
The film going over budget and the increasing prospect of it not making a return on investment prompted Miyazaki to begin working on what would eventually become Laputa: Castle in the Sky in order to cover the cost of Takahata’s production, a mutually beneficial relationship which would continue throughout the rest of their time together.
Outside of Japan and the film’s initial broadcast, The Story of Yanagawa’s Canals has received very little attention from both fans and critics alike, outside of works dedicated to Takahata's career.
Visually, his use of relational editing and slow tracking shots recalls the similar style of his more controlled works, but, despite being a very low-key and personal film, it is one that celebrates the wider spirit of community.