Silent Hill F Writer Wanted To Set The Game In Shizuoka Prefecture, But Mount Fuji Was Too Much Of An Overbearing Presence

Ryukishi07, the writer behind Silent Hill F, has revealed during an interview that he originally wanted the game to be set in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture, but the presence of Mount Fuji was a little too overbearing to create the right mood for the game.

Shizuoka is significant as it translates as Quiet Hill or Silent Hill, which is why the team were so keen on setting a new Silent Hill game in the location. However, Mount Fuji dominates the landscape, and Ryukishi07 said that it ultimately “didn’t seem suitable” for placing a Silent Hill game in that location.

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When creating the story, we first wanted all the staff to have a common understanding of where the game was set. To achieve this, we used real locations as the basis for our imagery. In fact, since this is Silent Hill, we actually visited Shizuoka Prefecture as a potential location. However, when we actually went there, we felt that the presence of Mount Fuji as seen from Shizuoka was too overbearing and it didn’t seem suitable for a Silent Hill setting.

Mount Fuji looms over the entire area, so its presence would overwhelm the foggy atmosphere of the work. After visiting several other locations, I felt that the grid-like townscape of Kanayama was an interesting shape, so I suggested that.

Silent Hill F doesn’t actually take place in the series’ eponymous, fog-bound town but is instead set during the 1960s in the fictional Japanese setting of Ebisugaoka. Much like the actual Silent Hill from previous games, this town has become shrouded by a mysterious fog, with protagonist Hinako finding herself battling against grotesque creatures and solving brain-teasing puzzles as she battles to survive.

Silent Hill F is slated for release on September 25, 2025 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

[Source – Famitsu via VGC]