On the 1st of November, 2022, the long-awaited ‘Ghibli Park’ will be opening in the Aichi Expo Memorial Park (Morikoro Park) in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture. ‘Ghibli Park’ will feature the works of Studio Ghibli which has captivated the hearts of many people both in Japan and overseas. The unused land and existing facilities of the Aichi Expo Commemorative Park will be redeveloped into five areas: ‘The Hill of Youth’ (Seishun no Oka), ‘Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse’, ‘Mononoke Village’ (Mononoke no Sato), ‘Witch’s Valley’ and ‘Dondoko Forest’
‘The Hill of Youth’.’Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse’ and ‘Dondoko Forest’ will open on the 1st of November (Tuesday) This will be followed by the opening of ‘Mononoke Village’ in the fall of 2023 and finally the ‘Witch’s Valley’ which is scheduled to open in March 2024.
Ghibli Park will feature the world of Studio Ghibli and was created in collaboration with the forest of Aichi Expo Commemorative Park (Morikoro Park). It does not have any attractions or rides. This is a place where one can discover the secrets of Ghibli whilst walking through the park and experiencing the area firsthand through the winding forest paths.
The main area, the ‘Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse’ is a true Ghibli exhibition spot. It’s a huge facility in which all the magical elements of ‘Ghibli’ are tightly packed. It features a video exhibition room, three special exhibition rooms, shops and cafes.
Cinema Orion
Cinema Orion is a theatre room with about 170 seats. All short animations produced by Studio Ghibli, usually only shown in the Ghibli Museum, will be screened here. The movie that will be showing when the park opens is ‘Kujiratori’.
© 2001 中川李枝子・大村百合子・Studio Ghibli
3 Special Exhibitions
Scene Exhibition
This is an interactive exhibition where visitors are invited to enter famous scenes from Ghibli Movies. There are 13 works and 14 corners available.
Become Chihiro in the Spirited Away section by sitting next to Kaonashi on the mysterious train that runs along the sea.
‘Creating the Food’ Exhibition
※Image from the 2017 Special Exhibition ‘Creating the Food’ from the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka.
This is a revised version of the well-loved ‘Creating the Food’ exhibition held at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. Discover why the food in Ghibli films look so delicious as this exhibition unravels the secret. This will feature three new works from ‘Spirited Away’, ‘From Up on Poppy Hill’ and ‘Earwig and the Witch’ with a recreation of the kitchen from Coquelicot Manor.
All the Ghibli Exhibition
Posters, videos, musical scores, books, discover a vast range of Ghibli works collected from all over the world and displayed in one place. See the displays all lined up to display the different titles, designs and visuals from other countries.
Shop Cafe
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse Shop
In addition to goods related to all Ghibli works, this shop also offers Ghibli Park original items. Take home a souvenir from Ghibli Park to remember your experience here.
Transcontinental Cafe
After traversing the large warehouse, rest here for a bit. The sandwiches and pizzas come with flags reminiscent of an intercontinental flight.
Milk Stand ‘Siberia’
A milk stand with counters that offer locally produced milk in bottles sporting original designs. Try the ‘Siberia’ a cake with red bean paste sandwiched between castella – this special cake also appears in ‘The Wind Rises’.
Public Warehouse
In addition to special exhibitions mentioned above, the large Ghibli Warehouse is full of exhibitions where one can get lost in the world of Studio Ghibli’s works, including the ‘Public Warehouse’. A section where the works and sculptures exhibited in Japan and overseas are displayed for the public to see.
Sky Garden
In the ruins of the garden that appears in ‘Laputa: Castle in the Sky’ an army of robot soldiers patiently await their master’s return. The walls are covered with vines and moss with ancient crests.
The Office of the Proprietor
Look into the office of Yubaba, the infamous proprietor from Spirited Away.
The Room of the Cat Bus
In the playground of the world of ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ a cat bus is waiting. What will you find at the top of the tree rising towards the ceiling?
The Underground House and Borrower Garden
What does the world look like to the borrowers from ‘Arrietty’? Look around from the view of the underground house and the Borrower Garden.
Children’s Town
This is a children’s playground that recreates the old townscape and vehicles around Higashi-Koganei Station in Tokyo, where Studio Ghibli is located. Get lost in this little old world in Ghibli’s Studio.
Central Staircase
A staircase decorated with colorful tiles connecting the first and second floors. Take a close look at the tile decorations to see the characters hidden inside. Under the skylight, a giant flying ship flies slowly with its spinning propellers.
South Street
There is a nostalgic sense you’re bound to feel as you step onto this street. You’ll find the ‘Neppu Shoten’ an area selling books. The ‘Ozora Mokei’ where you can find models and the ‘Dagashi Nekokaburihime’. Take your time shopping here.
Entry to Ghibli Park requires a reservation. Reservations come with a designated entry time and no exit time limit so you can take your time here. Please see the official website for details on opening hours, closed days and ticket reservations..
（All photos courtesy of © Studio Ghibli）
Ghibli Park
Location: Aichi Expo Memorial Park, 1533-1 Ibaragamama Otsu, Nagakute City, Aichi.
Website：https://ghibli-park.jp/
0570-089-154 (Mon-Fri: 10am～5pm)
Tickets：All tickets are reservation-based with a specific entry date and time.
・On the 10th of every month, tickets for a new admission month will be released. For details on how to purchase, please see the ticket page on the official website (https://ghibli-park.jp/ticket/)
・At the beginning of the sale for December, lottery sales will be carried out to avoid the possibility of confusion due to congestion. First-come-first-served sales for the same month can be purchased from Boo-Woo tickets at 2pm on October 10, and from “Loppi” at Lawson and Ministop stores nationwide.
・To use Boo-Woo tickets, membership registration (free) is required in advance.
Access:
By train: Get off at Aichi Rapid Transit Tobu Kyuryo Line (Linimo) “Aichi Expo Memorial Park” station
By bus: Nagoya Station/Meitetsu Bus Center 4th Floor Bus Stop No. 24 bound for “Aichi Expo Memorial Park (Ghibli Park)”
Centrair International Airport Terminal 1 bound for “Aichi Expo Memorial Park (Ghibli Park)” via “Fujigaoka”
*Please check the Meitetsu Bus official website for detailed timetables and fares.
*Ghibli Park does not have its own parking lot.
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