Japan's Ghibli Park opens for fans of the animation studio

Three of the five main areas of the 17.5-acre theme park are now accepting visitors

Visitors arrive at the Ghibli Warehouse after the opening of Ghibli Park in Nagakute, Japan, on November 1. AFP

The central staircase of Ghibli's Great Warehouse. AFP

The Elevator Tower at the entrance of Ghibli Park. AFP

The character No Face is seated on a train from the film 'Spirited Away' at Ghibli Park. AFP

Visitors take pictures of the robot soldiers of 'Tenku no Niwa' at Ghibli's Great Warehouse. AFP

A wooden Totoro-shaped statue called Dondoko-do in the Dondoko Forest. EPA

An exhibit from 'Spirited Away' at Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. AFP

The central stairs of Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. EPA

Inside Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. EPA

One of the rooms at Ghibli's Grand Warehouse is inspired by the film 'Spirited Away'. EPA

A small house at the 'Hill of Youth' area at Ghibli Park. EPA

Sitting on a train next to the character No Face from 'Spirited Away' at Ghibli Park. EPA

One of the rooms inside Ghibli's Grand Warehouse at Ghibli Park. EPA

An exhibition inside Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. Studio Ghibli / EPA

The entrance to Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. Studio Ghibli / EPA

The Hill of Youth area at Ghibli Park. Getty Images

The Cat Bus from the film 'My Neighbor Totoro' in the Ghibli's Grand Warehouse area. Getty Images

A sign for the new Ghibli Park. AFP

The Cat Bus from 'My Neighbor Totoro' at Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. AFP

A real-life size recreation of Satsuki and Mei's House from 'My Neighbor Totoro'. AFP

A shop at Ghibli's Grand Warehouse has Totoro soft toys. AFP

A room in the Hill of Youth area at Ghibli Park. AFP

A gift shop in Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. AFP

An exhibit at Satsuki and Mei's House at Ghibli Park. AFP

One of the exhibitions inside Satsuki and Mei's House from 'My Neighbor Tororo' at Ghibli Park. AFP

A gift shop at Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. AFP

A tower at Ghibli Park. AFP

Japan’s highly anticipated Ghibli Park is now open.

The theme park, dedicated to the Japanese animation company production studio known for its films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle, opened on Tuesday. It is in Aichi Earth Expo Memorial Park, the former grounds of Expo 2005.

The park covers 17.5 acres and has five main themed areas based on different Studio Ghibli films: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, The Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke Village and Valley of Witches, although the last two are not open yet. All five areas of the park are expected to be open by spring 2024.

There is also a free playground based on The Cat Returns next to Mononoke Village.

“In the past three years, we have been in a very difficult situation due to Covid-19, but there was a great joy even in the midst of it … I feel that the opening of this exhibition at this time, when we are firmly facing and overcoming Covid-19, has a heavy meaning,” Koji Hoshino, chairman and president of Studio Ghibli, said during an event a few days before the park's official opening.

Its website tells visitors that “there are no big attractions or rides in Ghibli Park”. Instead, guests are encouraged to “take a stroll, feel the wind, and discover the wonders”.

Visitors can expect to see recreated sets from the animated films with Instagrammable backdrops such as sitting on the train with No Face from Spirited Away, running across waves with Ponyo or simply enjoying the children’s playroom with Cat Bus, one of the creatures from My Neighbor Totoro. There’s also a 170-person cinema that will show 10 short animations.

Tickets to visit the park can be bought only domestically and must be booked in advance for each area. From February, visitors will be allowed to buy a multi-pass ticket. Tickets for November have already sold out.

Japan reopens to tourists

It was announced last month that Japan would open to international tourism again. This means that travellers need to be vaccinated or have a Covid-19 negative test certificate, but authorities no longer require visitors to be part of an organised tour group and have lifted a cap on passenger numbers.