Ghibli Park ジブリパーク

An ode to nature

Contrary to the most famous amusement parks, such as Disneyland, Ghibli park does not rely on its rides. And for good reason: there will be none (or almost).

As in the films of the franchise, the park is intended to be an ode to nature. It has been designed to minimize its impact on the environment and be one with the 7.1 hectares of green grass that host it. “If trees were on the construction sites of certain buildings, we transplanted them." confided Goro Miyazaki, the prodigal son of the master of the walls and producer of several studio classics.

With an investment of around 34 billion yen (240 million euros), the park is destined to be a major asset for the region. We would even speak of a “symbol”, even an “ambassador” of Japanese culture, according to the governor of Aichi, Hideaki Omura, questioned on the subject during a recent press conference.

Currently, 1.8 million visitors ready to discover the bucolic world of the country's most emblematic animation studio are expected annually!

"Hill of Youth"

Gateway to the world of Miyazaki, the “Hill of Youth” is located near the old north entrance of the exhibition park.

One after the other, discover life-size reproductions of the franchise's flagship works, such as Castle in the Sky (1986), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), or The Cat Returns (2002).

Among the points of interest, there will be an old pedestrian bridge converted into an observation tower which will offer a global view of the park. The latter will feature post-industrial architecture, such as can be seen in the successes of the studio.

Fans of Whisper of the Heart (1995) will also be seduced by a setting inspired by the Seiseki-Sakuragaoka district (Tokyo), where the sets of the story would be planted. Here you will find the famous orange-colored antique shop, as well as the quaint atmosphere that brought the film to life.

"Ghibli's Grand Warehouse"

It is a former public swimming pool – closed in 2018 – which served as the base for the large Ghibli warehouse. Three times larger than the Mitaka Museum, it houses an exhibition hall, a children's play area, shops, and restaurants. As well, it houses a movie theatre with approximately 170 seats, which rebroadcasts tour the 10 short films present at the Ghibli museum.

The showroom is then the heart of this space. It stages the sets of 13 major works of the franchise, including Spirited Away (2001) and the office of his witch, a reconstruction of the celestial garden of the Castle in the Sky, the catbus of My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and a room specially designed to pay homage to table scenes with plastic reproductions of the studio's most famous dishes!

You will particularly appreciate the finesse and the attention to detail, which goes as far as the reconstitution of the drops of water in Arrietty's house (Arrietty the Borrower (2010)).

“Dondoko Forest"

This fairy forest will make you walk on the footsteps of Totoro. As in the film, walk its paths and enjoy its playground. In the distance, you can see the heroines' house, as well as a 5m high wooden statue of our favorite neighbor !

 

"Mononoke Village"

Still closed to the public, the Mononoke village will be presented as a reconstruction of the Tataraba village, presented in Princess Mononoke (1997). Its decorations are inspired by Japanese landscapes that were then found in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the period in which the story takes place. The opening is scheduled for fall 2023.

“Valley of Witches”

This enigmatic valley – still closed until 2023 – will include reproductions of the homes of Ghibli's most famous witches. You will also find Kiki's Bakery (Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)), where you can buy something to eat for the day. You will also find a 16m version of Howl's Moving Castle and its kitchen.