Studio Ghibli Archives | Japan Cheapo

Ghibli Park -- the theme park for Studio Ghibli fans -- is finally finished and from March 2024 all five sections will be open. So what are you waiting for? Here's everything you need to know to plan your trip to Ghibli Park in Nagoya. But first, a disclaimer: You won't find hair-raising rides and character meet-and-greets here. Ghibli Park is all about immersing yourself in the world of Studio Ghibli. Expect life-sized, realistic-looking exhibitions, impressive photo ops, and plenty of Easter eggs for hardcore fans. Want to get your Studio Ghibli fix without leaving Tokyo? There's the Ghibli Museum, plus plenty of other ways to indulge your love of Ghibli in Tokyo. What is Ghibli Park? Ghibli Park is the world's one and only official Studio Ghibli theme park. It first opened on November 20, 2022, in the outskirts of Nagoya, Japan's fourth largest city and the capital of Aichi Prefecture. Ghibli Park is located in Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, also known as Moricoro Park. Does one ticket cover all areas? Ghibli Park has five sections, each with its own theme and unique attractions. Since the final section opened in March 2024, a single Ghibli Park ticket can now get you into all sections -- there are no separate ticketing options for different sections anymore. However, there are three different types of entry passes to choose from, each giving you access to different attractions within the sections. Only the Premium Pass is truly all-access -- more on that below. Pro tip: Because of its convenient location in Nagoya, you can easily visit Ghibli Park when traveling from Tokyo to Osaka or Kyoto. Does Ghibli Park have rides? The park is all about immersive experiences, but don't go expecting a Tokyo Disneyland or Universal Studios Japan kind of experience. Some parts of Ghibli Park have rides, but they are aimed more at children -- think carousels and slides. You definitely won't find any rollercoasters here. Is Ghibli Park crowded? Yes, despite the out-of-the-way location, Ghibli Park still gets very crowded -- especially during weekends and holiday periods. Ghibli Park tickets Tickets go on sale 2 months in advance to (half-price for kids) Domestic sales (in Japanese only)/ International sales We're not going to lie, getting tickets for Ghibli Park requires patience and planning. At the moment, the only way to buy tickets is online or as part of a package tour (recommended) for example from (). You cannot buy them on the day at the park. There are two different official websites you can use to buy tickets for Ghibli Park: the domestic one (for those living in Japan) and the international one (for those living overseas). Each website redirects to a different ticket sales sites. The domestic site uses Boo Woo Ticket, which is only available in Japanese, while the international site uses Lawson Ticket, which is available in English. Note: The domestic site has one ticket offering that is different to the international sales site. Otherwise, the prices and ticket types are the same. See the table below for full details on Ghibli Park tickets. Ghibli Park ticket prices Prices for some areas depend on whether you visit on a weekday or a weekend. Park area Weekday ticket price Weekend ticket price Notes Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass International and domestic sales. Can't enter certain buildings. Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium International and domestic sales. Gives access to all buildings and areas. Ghibl Park Sanpo Ticket Domestic sales. Can't enter certain buildings or Ghibli Grand Warehouse. Note: Only the Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium will allow you to enter the following buildings: World Emporium (Hill of Youth), Satsuki and Mei's House (Dondoko Forest), The Okino Residence, Howl's Castle, and The House of Witches (Valley of Witches). Ghibli Park tickets for kids Children's tickets (for kids aged 4 to 12) are half price. Kids aged 3 and under can enter for free. How to buy tickets for Ghibli Park Tickets become available 2 months in advance on both websites, at 2 p.m. Japan time on the 10th of the month. So for example, tickets for September 2023 went on sale on July 10. On the domestic site you have the option to pay in a variety of ways including credit card, and at a convenience store. Meanwhile, the international site requires you to pay via credit card. When buying tickets, you'll need to choose a date and an entry time. But the entry time only applies to the Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, where you'll need to enter within 1 hour of your chosen entry time. For all the other areas, you can enter whenever you like -- but keep in mind that last entry for all areas is 4 p.m. Our experience buying tickets to the Ghibli Park You can get in queue before the launch time, and we suggest doing so. We got in queue on the domestic site at launch time and had to wait for nearly 2 hours before being able to buy tickets. By the time we got in, tickets for the beginning of the month were already sold out, but there were still a fair number of tickets left for the end of the month. On the other hand, the international site has slightly shorter wait times, and is less likely to sell out. Terms and conditions Be sure to check the terms and conditions before you book; they're the same on both sites (international and domestic). Some important ones to note include: All members of your group must enter together Tickets cannot be resold or transferred (they may do random I.D checks) You can only enter Ghibli Grand Warehosue within an hour of the entry time on your ticket Re-entry is not permited, except for Valley of Witches There are no refunds or exchanges Discount tickets are not available Ghibli Park travel packages Buying tickets yourself sound like a bit much? Yeah, we get that. Luckily, there are travel packages available that will take care of everything for you. Ghibli Park and Aichi Museum of Flight day tour Book here This day tour includes a combined entry ticket for Ghibli's Grand Warehouse and Mononoke Village, as well as entry to the Aichi Museum of Flight, and private return transport from Nagoya Station. You'll also receive a bento-box lunch. You could make it a day trip from Tokyo; you'll just need to arrange your transport separately.--> JTB Sunrise Tours: Park entry + hotel From per adult This popular package from JTB Sunrise Tours includes a Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Pass Premium ticket, and one night's accommodation with breakfast. The Ghibli Park ticket is for day two of the tour, so you'll have a good night's rest before hitting up the park. Note: A two-person minimum is required to book. Transport to Nagoya and between the hotel and Ghibli Park is not included, so you'll need to organize Shinkansen or bus tickets yourself. Read about getting from Tokyo to Nagoya. What to see at Ghibli Park Ghibli Park has five sections: Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, Mononoke Village, Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, and the Valley of Witches. Each area has a different theme and is inspired by different Studio Ghibli movies. Let's dive into more detail on each one. Ghibli's Grand Warehouse Allow yourself 2 to 3 hours Photography is allowed in most areas Ghibli's Grand Warehouse is the star of the show. It's the biggest area at the moment, so you'll easily spend most of your time here. Throughout there are nods to Studio Ghibli classics like Spirited Away (2001), Arrietty (2010), and Castle in the Sky (1986), among many others. Ghibli's Grand Warehouse has a mixture of exhibitions, displays, and shops, as well as a kid's play area, a cinema, and a café. There's no right way to explore Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, you can wander around to your heart's desire. Check the cinema's timetable if you'd like to watch a short film, and if you plan to eat at the café try to avoid the lunchtime rush. Ghibli's Grand Warehouse is a good option for those who are casual Studio Ghibli fans. You're sure to recognize some of the characters and references, but there's nothing too specific. It's especially good for families with younger children because of the play areas. Our experience at Ghibli's Grand Warehouse For us, the highlight in Ghibli's Grand Warehouse was definitely the Central Exhibition Room. That's where you'll find 14 interactive exhibits showing scenes from some of your favorite Studio Ghibli movies. You can get up close and personal with your favorite characters, and photos are definitely okay here -- in fact, they're encouraged. The line to get into this area can be long, though. And if you'd like a photo with No Face from Spirited Away, you may have to line up again. Hill of Youth Allow yourself 30 minutes to 1 hour Photography is not allowed inside Hill of Youth draws on the films Whispers of the Heart (1995) and The Cat Returns (2002). The featured structure here is the World Emporium, the antique shop from Whispers of the Heart. You first enter from the back, into a small courtyard, where you'll find the Cat Bureau from The Cat Returns. If you peer inside you'll see the characters Muta and the Baron. After the courtyard, you'll enter the World Emporium, where there's a lot to take in. However, keep in mind you can't take photos inside here. Downstairs there's the violin workshop from the same film. Note: You can only enter the World Emporium if you have a premium pass. Our experience at Hill of Youth A lot of attention to detail went into designing Hill of Youth, and it shows. The World Emporium is really impressive, and there are so many interesting things to see. But, we wouldn't recommend this area for people visiting with young children. It's a bit cramped and has lots of smalls things that little hands might want to grab. Hill of Youth -- despite it's name -- is definitely more for adults. And it's especially for fans of the two movies that inspired it; in fact, there are probably lots of details that casual fans (like us) would miss. Dondoko Forest Allow yourself 1 hour Photography is allowed Dondoko Forest is where you'll find all the My Neighbor Totoro attractions. Mei and Satsuki's house is just as detailed as at the World Emporium but you can take photos. Take your time to explore every part of the house, and we mean every part: open the draws and cupboards, look inside things, and in general enjoy the hands-on feeling. You will be asked to remove your shoes before you enter, and you can leave them in a shoe locker at the entrance. Once you're finished at Mei and Satsuki's house you can head up to Dondoko-do. This is the large Totoro statute that you might recognise from early promotional material. Kids aged 12 and under can climb up inside and play, but it's not for adults (unfortunately). It's great for photo ops, although it can get a little crowded. Note: You can only enter Mei and Satsuki's House if you have a premium pass. Our experience at Dondoko Forest Dondoko Forest is another area that's good for casual fans. Mei and Satsuki's house is fun to explore even if you don't know the movie well. This is a quieter part of the park and Dondoko Forest is less crowded than Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. Mononoke Village Allow yourself 1 hour Photography is allowed Mononoke Village is inspired by, well, Princess Mononoke (1997). It's designed to be like a mountain village, just like the one in the movie. There's a slide modeled like Lord Okkoto (kids under 12 only, we're afraid), a Demon Spirit statue, and, for an extra fee, a chance to try making mochi (rice cakes). There's a small building called the "Mononoke Village Rest Stop." Inside they sell a small range of souvenirs and snacks. Our experience at Mononoke Village Mononoke Village is one of the simplier Ghibli Park sections. Kids will enjoy the Lord Okkoto slide and the mochi-making experience. But the theme in this area didn't feel as strong as other parts of the park, and to be honest it felt like a bit of a missed opportunity for some great displays. Valley of Witches Allow yourself 1 to 2 hours Photography is allowed in most areas The Valley of Witches section opened on March 16, 2024. It's inspired by witchy Ghibli movies like Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004). It's easily the biggest Ghibli Park area, and there's a lot to see and do here. There are a whole bunch of different buildings to explore, two rides, three different dining options, and three souvenir shops. A lot of effort was put into this area -- we love that Guchokipanya, the bakery from Kiki's Delivery Service, was bought to life as a real onsite bakery where you can buy baked goods like cream cornets and baguettes. The carousel is also delightful -- but it does cost an extra to ride. Note:If you want to go inside Howl's Castle, the Okino Residence (Kiki's childhood home), or the House of Witches you'll need to buy a premium pass. Our experience at Valley of Witches Valley of Witches is easily one of our favorite Ghibli Park sections. It strikes a great balance of easily recognizable things for casual fans, and easter eggs for the die-hard fans. The rides and interactive elements make it great for kids too. There's also a good range of food options, although we suspect the bakery could get very crowded. Getting around Ghibli Park By now you might be wondering, just how big is Ghibli Park? Well, it's hard to say exactly. It's spread out all over Aichi Commemorative Park, so it feels bigger than it is. That being said, getting between the different areas will take up a large chunk of time. It's not too bad though. Ghibli's Grand Warehouse and Hill of Youth are less than a 5-minute walk apart. Dondoko Forest is about a 10-minute walk from Ghibli's Grand Warehouse along a lovely forested path. However, some of the signage along the path is only in Japanese, so we recommend taking a photo of a map to help you stay on track. Mononoke Village is a 10-minute walk from Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. Finally, Valley of Witches is about a 7-minute walk from Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. Ghibli Park Cat Bus Yes, we were excited when we found out too. In March 2024, Ghibli Park rolled out a small fleet of real-life cat buses. They run between Dondoko Forest and Mononoke Village, and a ride costs for adults. There is also a free shuttle bus running between the other Ghibli Park areas and other attractions in Aichi Commemorative Park. However, the bus only runs twice per hour on weekdays and three times per hour on weekends. Where and what to eat at Ghibli Park There several food options at Ghibli Park. Two are inside Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. If you're just in the mood for a snack, Milk Stand Siberi❆An has milk and red-bean filled cakes. For meals, head to Transcontinental Flight Café, which has a range of sandwiches, pizzas, and drinks. Inside Valley of Witches, there's the Flying Oven (for sit-down meals), Guchokipanya Bakery, and a hotdog stand called "Hot Tin Roof." Mononoke Village has snacks for sale at the Mononoke Village Rest Stop, and there is also the mochi-making experience. There are also a few dining options in the wider Aichi Commemorative Park area. Close to the entrance, you'll find a convenience store and a café. We also spotted a Mos Burger food truck set up near one of the rest areas, but we're not sure how often they set up there. You could also pack your own food and eat in one of the rest areas. However, eating "external" food inside Ghibli Park areas is not allowed. When it comes to drinks, it's worth noting that there are no drink vending machines inside Ghibli Park. There are vending machines and water fountains outside though. You can buy drinks at the Transcontinental Flight Café and the Flying Oven. Is there vegan food at Ghibli Park? At the moment, the Flying Oven has one vegan-friendly option on the menu -- a fried vegetable soup. Unfortunately though, that is the only vegan food we could find at Ghibli Park. Ghibli Park souvenir guide If you're like us, you want to know about the souvenir situation. Ghibli's Grand Warehouse has one main souvenir shop and several smaller ones. The main one, called Adventurous Flying Squadron, has a mixture of limited-edition Ghibli Park merchandise, plus stuff you can pick up at other places, like Donguri stores. When we visited, there was a range of t-shirts, plushies, bags, stationery, prints, and postcards (to name a few). We recommend honing in on the limited-edition souvenirs. In particular, there was a range of tote bags and magnets that were popular. You can also pick up a small selection of souvenir snacks like cookies, cake, and chocolate. These souvenir snacks are also unique to Ghibli Park, and are easy to transport. Elsewhere in Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, there's a bookshop, a model/figurine shop, and a candy shop. Valley of Witches has three souvenir shops. The biggest one is Witches Coven 13. It has a different range of souvenirs compared to those in Ghibli's Grand Warehouse -- notably the ones here feature more of Studio Ghibli's witchier movies. There's also the Hatter's Millinery that sells candy and hats, while upstairs there's the Witches' Book Stack that stocks all kind of witchy books. Near Dondoko-do, there is also a small shop selling Studio Ghibli-themed omamori (good-luck charms). These especially make for good souvenirs because they combine Studio Ghibli with a traditional Japanese item. Mononoke Village Rest Stop also sells a small selection of souvenirs. Plus, you can buy postcards that feature antique items inside the World Emporium. The surrounding area: Aichi Commemorative Park Aichi Commemorative Park has a lot more going for it than just being the home of Ghibli Park. There are several other attractions, including a Japanese-style garden, an ice-skating rink, and a Ferris wheel. It's entirely possible to spend an entire day there without even visiting Ghibli Park -- stop by the Information Center near the entrance for some ideas on what to do. The Information Center also has a limited number of lockers if you need to store luggage. When you're at the park, don't forget it is a natural space -- don't be surprised to see signs warning of wasps and snakes. Just stick to the paths and be aware of your surroundings. Getting from Nagoya to Ghibli Park There are three main ways to get to Ghibli Park from Nagoya Station: by train, bus, or taxi. Train is by far the best option, even though one transfer is required. Taxis and buses will take you there directly, but are also more expensive. See how to get from Tokyo to Nagoya. Train: Cheap and convenient About 55 minutes + transfer time From Nagoya Station, take the Higashiyama Subway Line to Fujigaoka Station (the last station on the line). This takes about half an hour. At Fujigaoka Station, exit the station and transfer to Linimo -- a Mag-Lev (magnetically levitated) train -- to get to Aichikyūhaku-kinen-kōen ("Expo Memorial Park") Station. Take Exit 2 from here and you've arrived at the entrance to Aichi Commemorative Park. We recommend this route as it's the cheapest, and has more regular departures than the bus. Bus: Direct but less frequent About 40 minutes Meitetsu Bus operates a direct service from Nagoya Station to Ghibli Park, which you can catch from Meitetsu Bus Center. While it is direct, it costs more than the train and has fewer departures. There are currently only five services between 8:50 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays, and six departures between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekends. Because of this, we recommend checking the timetable and pre-purchasing tickets on the Meitetsu Bus site (link in Japanese). Taxi: Direct but expensive About 55 minutes While the bank of taxis waiting outside Nagoya Station may be tempting, we don't really recommend taking one to Ghibli Park. Though they are direct, they take about the same amount of time as the train and cost a whole lot more. Plus, traffic is always a gamble. Taxis could be suitable for groups or families where the cost can be split, but in general they're not a good option for this trip. Frequently asked questions Is Ghibli Park open to foreigners? Yes, but you need to buy your tickets on the international ticket sales website, or as part of a package tour. Are there rides at Ghibli Park? No, there are no rides like rollercoasters. There are two rides in the Valley of Witches -- a carousel and a small flying ride for kids. There's also a children's play area in Ghibli's Grand Warehouse and a slide in Monoko Village, though. Can Ghibli Park be a day trip from Tokyo Yes, but we wouldn't recommend it -- it would make for a long and exhausting day. It's better to make it part of a longer Nagoya trip, or a stop on a trip between Tokyo and Osaka or Kyoto. How long do you need at Ghibli Park? We recommend putting a whole day aside for Ghibli Park, especially if you splurge for the premium pass. Is Ghibli Park worth it? It depends. If you are huge Studio Ghibli fan, then you won't want to miss it. Casual fans will enjoy it, too; it's a nice add-on if you're already going to pass through Nagoya. But if you are just a very casual fan and don't want to spend the whole day there, then it's probably not worth the effort. I'm not a Studio Ghibli fan, should I still go to Ghibli Park? Unless you're already planning to go to Nagoya or pass through it, we wouldn't recommend it for non-fans. If you're curious, you can get a taste for Studio Ghibli without having to leave Tokyo. Why is the Ghibli Park in Nagoya? Way back in 2005, a World Expo was held at Aichi Commemorative Park. As part of the event, a life-sized replication of Mei and Satsuki's house from the classic Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro (1988) was built. It proved to be very popular. Then in 2017, the plans for Ghibli Park were officially announced, although the opening date was originally meant to be 2020. What is the difference between the Ghibli Park and the Ghibli Museum in Japan? It's easy to get confused between the Ghibli Park and the Ghibli Museum. They are totally different places, however! The Ghibli Park is the huge, new Studio Ghibli theme park in Nagoya, while the Ghibli Museum is a smaller, older spot in Tokyo. Both are popular and worth a visit, but the Ghibli Park is most recommended -- especially if you are a big Ghibli fan. While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in May 2023. Last updated in March 2024.

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