Have you ever visited Disney? If you are a Ghibli fan, you might want to hear about Japan’s Disney. It is The Ghibli Museum dedicated to the one and only Studio Ghibli. This is not just your ordinary museum exhibition, it’s the official recreation of some award-winning animated Ghibli films. Get a thrill out of getting lost in your own Ghibli world.
The Ghibli Museum is located at Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western city of Tokyo, Japan. One of the Studio Ghibli directors, Hayao Miyazaki, thought of this whole project.
What to expect the Ghibli Museum
Upon entering the museum, you are greeted by a giant Totoro, one of the famous characters of Ghibli. Don’t skip taking pictures with him! The whole place is decorated with colourful hand-crafted lamps and windows, some paintings of blue skies, and a shining, smiling sun surrounded by plants and flowers, just like one of the Ghibli films’ sensations would give out.
You would want to appreciate the exterior as taking pictures inside the museum is prohibited. Take snaps of the colourful architecture covered with bright green plants. Fun Fact! The design of the Museum was inspired by the architecture of Calcata! It is a hilltop village in Italy.
Looking at just the tickets, it is already spectacular. These are also entries to a 15-20 minute exclusive short film, a perfect delight for starting your whole journey throughout the museum.
Source: https://sightseeandsushi.com/buy-studio-ghibli-museum-tickets/
Entering The main building will leave you feeling as if you have gone through a gateway into a fairytale world, or maybe the world of Ghibli. You’ll have to climb up a spiral staircase fully decorated with coloured marbles. Come upon a crossing bridge and balcony that opens the way to exhibitions and dead-end streets.
There are always new temporary exhibitions dedicated to different movie characters, it also includes five permanent exhibitions offering illustrations of how animation takes shape. How they started from nothing to editing, creating the final output of all the ideas. Do note that taking pictures inside the museum is strictly prohibited.
Not only are Inokashika Park and Kichijoji famous for Ghibli products, but they are also pretty well-known for their boutiques! Don’t forget to visit them when you have extra time to spare.
STUDIO GHIBLI
Do you love Studio Ghibli? If you haven’t heard about it, then you must. They are known for their incredibly high-quality filmmaking and artistry, not to mention their close eye for detail. It is one of the best animation studios in the world, with heartfelt stories that make you go ‘aww’ every second! They won the Best Animated Feature Film in 2003 and have some of the most critically acclaimed films in history!
They are more on the Japanese Pop Culture side, as it keeps getting more popular because of the uniqueness of each story. Some of their high-grossing animated films are Spirited Away, Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle, and My Neighbour Totoro are some definitely MUST watch.
Source: https://gogonihon.com/en/blog/lose-yourself-in-the-magic-of-ghibli-museum/
HOW TO GET TICKETS
Visit the official Ghibli Museum Website there. It shows you everything you need to know about their opening dates and times. There are regular closures every Tuesday and Holidays, especially around New Year. Be sure to check out their opening dates as there are closures due to exhibit changes.
What are you waiting for? Save up for your next trip to The Ghibli Museum to capture the whimsical beauty of the exterior and interiors. Get the exciting experience of seeing your favourite Ghibli characters!
Is The Ghibli Museum added to your bucket list already?
What are your thoughts about visiting this place? Let us know in the comments!