Studio Ghibli Fans, Mark Your Calendars! New Ghibli Park Opening November 1, 2022
Studio Ghibli fans will soon have a fresh addition to their Japan bucket lists: Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture! Packed with gorgeous art and beautifully recreated film sets, visitors will be able to utterly immerse themselves in the enchanting world of Ghibli and become the characters they adore! Read on to learn more about what this Ghibli wonderland will entail!
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Be Spirited Away Into the Fantastic World of Ghibli Park
On November 1, 2022, Studio Ghibli fans will finally get what they’ve been waiting for: the opportunity to experience the magic of Studio Ghibli firsthand. Located in Aichi Prefecture, this intriguing new Ghibli Park makes use of land at Aichi Expo Memorial Park to bring the animation studio’s numerous fantasy worlds to life. In keeping with the spirit of the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, visitors to the park won’t find rides or attractions, but will instead have the opportunity to explore intricate sets inspired by Studio Ghibli franchises while also embracing the natural beauty of Aichi Prefecture.
Initially, there will be three areas open to visitors: "Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse," "Hill of Youth," and "Dondoko Forest." Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse will be an indoor center featuring the home of Arrietty (Arrietty, 2010) and the abandoned garden and airship from Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986). There will also be a My Neighbor Totoro (1988) play area for children.
At the Hill of Youth, visitors will find buildings from Whisper of the Heart (1995) and The Cat Returns (2002). Finally, Dondoko Forest will flaunt Showa period (1926 - 1989) countryside featuring Satsuki and Mei’s house from My Neighbor Totoro (1988). There are also plans for two additional areas called the "Valley of Witches," possibly featuring elements from Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), and "Mononoke Village," presumably inspired by Princess Mononoke (1997), which will open approximately one year after the initial opening of the park.
Fans looking to keep up to date with the Park’s development can visit the new Ghibli Park teaser website available in both Japanese and English.
Title image: ⓒ 2022 Studio Ghibli via PR Times
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The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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