Ghibli Park is a theme park dedicated to Studio Ghibli. It is located in Aichi Prefecture within the grounds of Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park. The first phase of the park opened on November 1, 2022.
Overview[]
The park is located within the grounds and buildings originally built for Expo 2005. The finished park will feature five themed areas, two of which are still under construction as of August 2023: Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke Village, and Valley of Witches. Currently, all areas require separate tickets, although ticket packages for Grand Warehouse + Mononoke Village and Grand Warehouse + Hill of Youth will soon supplant the original individual ticket package for Grand Warehouse. With the opening of the final phase of the park in March 2024, visitors to the park will be able to access all areas with the single "O-Sanpo Day Pass", although access to buildings such as the World Emporium, Satsuki and Mei's House, the Okino Residence, Howl's Castle, and the House of the Witches will only be available with "O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium".
Places[]
Ghibli's Grand Warehouse[]
Ghibli's Grand Warehouse is housed within the former swimming pool for Expo 2005, which closed in 2018. Its design takes direct inspiration from Spirited Away, but features numerous areas themed after other Ghibli films. The warehouse is filled with exhibits, stores, cafes, and photo opportunities:
- Cinema Orion: A screening room that seats 170 people, with a rotating schedule of 10 original Studio Ghibli animated shorts that were previously only screened in the Saturn Theatre at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka.
- Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes: An interactive exhibit where visitors can become their favorite Studio Ghibli characters as they participate in scenes from various Ghibli films. The exhibit features 14 scenes from 13 films: Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, From Up on Poppy Hill, Pom Poko, Castle in the Sky, Only Yesterday, Ocean Waves, Tales from Earthsea, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises and When Marnie Was There.
- Delicious! Animating Memorable Meals Expanded Edition: An upgraded version of the popular exhibit previously displayed at the Ghibli Museum, featuring production materials and recreations of meals from various Ghibli films, plus interactive reproductions of the kitchens from My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky and From Up on Poppy Hill. Photography is not allowed in this exhibit.
- Everything Ghibli!: A collection of Studio Ghibli posters, film and music packaging, and books. Also includes a recreation of the Catbus and the "Totoro Bar" featuring a life-sized Totoro behind the counter. Many of the items on display, including the Catbus and Totoro Bar, were previously part of the Ghibli Exhibition held at the Fukuoka City Museum in 2021.
- Open Warehouse: An underground area housing production artifacts and sculptures from past Ghibli exhibits in Japan and abroad.
- Garden in the Sky: The abandoned gardens of Laputa, with one of the robot soldiers quietly sitting dormant next to the Laputan coat of arms.
- Director's Room: A recreation of Yubaba's Office from Spirited Away.
- Cat Bus Room: An interactive play area for children that recreates the world of My Neighbor Totoro. Photography is not allowed in this room.
- The House Below and The Little People's Garden: A recreation of the settings from The Secret World of Arrietty, which visitors can explore as though they were the size of the Little People.
- Children's Town: A children's play area that recreates the Higashi-Koganei Station neighborhood in Tokyo, where Studio Ghibli is located.
- Central Stairs: A mosaic tile staircase linking the first and second floor areas, with hidden character shapes sprinkled throughout. Above the stairs flies a moving recreation of the Air Destroyer Goliath from Castle in the Sky.
- Minami-machi: A shopping street featuring a row of real shops and several easter eggs for Ghibli movies.
- Philosophy Club Room: A recreation of the crowded Philosophy Club Room from From Up on Poppy Hill.
- Adventurous Flying Squadron: A gift shop carrying items from both Ghibli productions and original to Ghibli Park.
- Transcontinental Flight Café: An open-air cafe serving sandwiches and pizza, themed around flight.
- Milk Stand Siberian: A milk stand counter themed after Siberia from The Wind Rises.
Hill of Youth[]
The Hill of Youth is mainly themed after Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns.
- Elevator Tower: Also open to the public as a public access point for the park, the tower is themed after the late 19th century steampunk architecture featured in Castle in the Sky and Howl's Moving Castle.
- World Emporium A replica of the antique shop from Whisper of the Heart. Visitors can enter on the 2nd floor to view the interior of the shop, featuring antique furniture, cuckoo clocks, dolls, and of course, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen. The first floor features the workroom where Seiji Amasawa learned how to make violins. The 1st and 2nd floor terraces include views of the rest of Expo 2005 Park. Photography is not permitted inside the emporium.
- The Cat Bureau: A recreation of the building from The Cat Returns. Visitors can peak inside to see the Baron and Muta relaxing inside with cat-sized furniture.
- The Rotary: A recreation of the roundabout from Whisper of the Heart. Visitors can purchase postcards and stamps from the World Emporium that can be mailed from a post box in the Rotary.
While Hill of Youth, like all of Ghibli Park's areas, requires a separate ticket, unticketed visitors to the park can view the area largely unobstructed from outside the fence.
Dondoko Forest[]
Themed after My Neighbor Totoro, the area is named after the "Dondoko Odori" dance that Satsuki, Mei, and Totoro performed.
- Satsuki and Mei's House: An interactive, exact replica of the Kusakabe residence from My Neighbor Totoro originally built for Expo 2005 and previously open to the public as a ticketed experience. While in its previous iteration photography was not allowed, visitors are now allowed to take photos inside the house.
- Dondoko-do: A wooden playground on the hill behind the house that resembles a giant, life-sized Totoro.
Mononoke Village[]
Themed after Irontown and Emishi Village from Princess Mononoke, this area will showcase models of the mystical creatures from the film, a village settlement, a traditional charcoal burner's hut, and an area where visitors can work the iron forge bellows. The learning center Tatara-ba will also include a Gohei-mochi making activity at additional cost. Mononoke Village is scheduled to open on November 1, 2023.
Valley of the Witches[]
Themed after the various Ghibli witch films, Valley of the Witches is scheduled to open on March 16, 2024 (delayed from a late-2023 opening). Announced buildings include the Okino Residence and Gütiokipänjä Bakery from Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Castle and Hatter's Hat Shop from Howl's Moving Castle, and the House of Witches from Earwig and the Witch. There are also plans for a restaurant and family entertainment area.
History[]
It was first revealed in 2017, and slowly made the news. Total cost is estimated at 34 billion yen (£218million).
In 2022, priced were announced for
- Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse (weekdays)
Adults: 2,000 yen (US$16) Children (4 years old-end of elementary school): 1,000 yen
- Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse (weekends, holidays)
Adults: 2,500 yen Children: 1,250 yen
- Dondoko Forest
Adults: 1,000 yen Children: 500 yen
- Hill of Youth[1]
In May 2022, the portion dedicated to Howl's Moving Castle was delayed from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024. This section leans heavily into European architecture and the shortage of material proved to be a hindrance. [2]