Built within the grounds of the Aichi Earth Expo Memorial Park, the Studio Ghibli Theme Park represents the world of Ghibli.
First opened in November 2022 with three complete sections, the park has since added two more, with the final opening on 16 March 2024.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Studio Ghibli Theme Park!
The Studio Ghibli Theme Park Attractions 🌱
That’s what we all want to know, right? Which of our favourite Ghibli films have been lovingly recreated within the scenery and characters of Ghibli Park?
The park has five separate sections to visit in total:
- Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
- Hill of Youth
- Dondoko Forest
- Valley of Witches
- Mononoke Village
What Studio Ghibli Theme Park rides are there?
Interestingly enough, although completely on brand, Ghibli Park does not feature large theme park rides, and instead concentrates on aligning with the environmental messages held within many of Ghibli’s films.
The attractions are meant to encourage guests to interact with and coexist with nature, through luscious gardens, themed buildings, and other intimate experiences.
1. Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse is an indoor area that replaces the heated swimming pool that closed in 2018, and is about three times the size of the Ghibli museum.
All of the studio’s secrets are stored here, such as artifacts and exhibits from Studio Ghibli movies. Permanent and event-based exhibit rooms are featured, including one exhibit based on Arrietty’s house, complete with plantlife, that allow guests to experience life from the perspective of ‘Borrowers’.
A children’s play area based upon the world of My Neighbour Totoro includes a climbable catbus, as well as a tree that holds a special surprise.
A large 170-seat theatre has also been built, which screens 10 original Studio Ghibli shorts, including treasures such as Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess and Koro’s Big Day Out.
There are plenty of places to shop as well, including on the shopping street Minami-machi, where you can purchase scale model kits at Open Sky Models, or books at Neppu bookstore. The largest shop in Ghibli park can also be found in the Grand Warehouse, the Adventurous Flying Squadron, where you can find lots of original Ghibli Park items.
There are a couple of places to eat within the Grand Warehouse; the Transcontinental Flight Café offers a range of sandwiches, pizza slices and desserts, while you can purchase milk in a special glass bottle and sweet bean cake from The Wind Rises at the Milk Stand Siberi❆An.
2. Hill of Youth
The Hill of Youth features an elevator modelled after the 19th-century steampunk theme used in Howl’s Moving Castle, that brings viewers up to an observation deck and doubles as the main gate. In the tower you’ll can see various fictitious objects that can be recognised from films such as Castle In The Sky and Whisper of the Heart.
A 1990s Japanese residential district themed area in the Hill of Youth includes the antique shop from Whisper of the Heart, and a cat-sized wooden one-story building inspired by the Cat Bureau from The Cat Returns.
3. Dondoko Forest
The name of this area, ‘Dondoko Forest’, is inspired by the ‘Dondoko Odori’ dance performed by Satsuki, Mei and Totoro in the film My Neighbour Totoro. The area focuses heavily on nature, representing the Japanese countryside that the film is based in, and guests can relax in the cafés found there or follow the paths around the forest to find the countryside shrine replica.
The reception area is based on the 1950s rural Japanese home featured in the movie, which actually already existed within the park since 2005 and has now been repurposed.
Dondoko-do playground
Further to the Dondoko Forest area, a playground called ‘Dondoko-do’ with wooden structures can be found behind the house, but in keeping with the spirit of the movie, is only accessible by children.
4. Witch’s Valley
The Witch’s Valley, which has been given a ‘Northern European’ feel and is the largest area of the park, hosts a number of rest areas and restaurants and is based on various Ghibli works including Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Earwig and the Witch.
One of the most impressive finds here is the recreation of Howl’s titular moving castle, which is about 20m tall with multiple stories and features moving parts. Guests can enter to see Howl’s bedchambers, the living room, and the glorious kitchen too.
The House of Witches, which is a recreation of the home of Bella Yaga from Earwig and the Witch, has also been built for guests to explore.
Sophie Hatter’s Hat Shop, Hatter’s Millinery, is also part of the attraction, selling original candies and hats on the first floor. Witches’ Book Stacks, which sells a collection of books related to witches and magic, can be found upstairs from the courtyard, and Witches Coven 13 sells a variety of original items.
Kiki’s childhood home has been recreated, The Okino Residence, surrounded by trees and a lavender garden, as has the Guchokipanya bakery that she operates her delivery service out of. You can buy some beautiful loaves of bread to eat!
You can also grab a hotdog from Hot Tin Roof, which sells sausages in buns the shape of a cat’s paw. Or you can head to the Flying OVEN restaurant for some baked european-style dishes.
5. Mononoke Village
Dedicated to Princess Mononoke, the main feature of Mononoke Village is Tatara-ba, a hand-on learning centre where you can make Gohei-mochi (rice cakes) on a charcoal grill.
Children can play on a giant slide in the form of Lord Okkoto, the boar god, while nearby a Demon Spirit lurks.
Original items can be bought from the Mononoke Village Rest Stop, as well as refreshments.
Studio Ghibli Theme Park Location 📍
Where is the Studio Ghibli Theme Park?
The Ghibli Theme Park is located in Moricoro Park, otherwise known as the Aichi Earth Expo Memorial Park, in the city of Nagakute, which is just east of Nagoya. The park famously featured a recreation of Satsuki and Mei’s house from My Neighbour Totoro, which has now been incorporated into the new theme park.
How can I access the Studio Ghibli Theme Park?
🚆 Train
You can travel by train to the Ghibli Park via the Linimo magnetic levitation train at the Aichikyūhaku-kinen-kōen station.
You can reach the park by train from:
- Tokyo station (Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen – Higashiyama Line – Linimo) in just under 3 hours
- Osaka station (Tokaido-Sanyo Line – Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen – Higashiyama Line – Linimo) in just over 2 hours
- Kyoto station (Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen – Higashiyama Line – Linimo) in just under 2 hours
🚌 Bus
You can reach the park via the Meitetsu bus at the Aichikyūhaku-kinen-kōen station bus stop.
🚗 Car
There are three paid parking lots available for private cars.
Studio Ghibli Theme Park Opening Times 🕑
When does the Studio Ghibli Theme Park open?
The Studio Ghibli Theme Park is open from 10am to 5pm on weekdays, and 9am to 5pm on weekends and public holiday. It is closed on Tuesdays (except when Tuesday is a public holiday).
You can view the calender here, to ensure the park isn’t closed on a day you plan to go.
Studio Ghibli Theme Park Tickets 🎟️
How much do Studio Ghibli Theme Park tickets cost?
Outside of Japan, you can purchase two types of passes up to two months in advance. You can enter all five areas of the park with the passes, while the premium pass will also grant you access to the World Emporium, Satsuki and Mei’s House, and The Okino Residence.
You must choose an assigned time to enter the Grand Warehouse when purchasing your pass.
| Day Pass (Weekdays) | Day Pass (Weekends & Holidays) | Premium Pass (Weekdays) | Premium Pass (Weekends & Holidays) | |
| Adult | ¥3,500 (€21) | ¥4,000 (€24) | ¥7,300 (€44) | ¥7,800 (€47) |
| Child (4-12) | ¥1,750 (€10.50) | ¥2,000 (€12) | ¥3,650 (€22) | ¥3,900 (€23.50) |
Admission for children aged 3 and younger is free.
Studio Ghibli Films 🎬
While we’re waiting on tickets to become available outside of Japan, why don’t you brush up on your Ghibli by rewatching your favourite films?
These Ghibli movies will be featured within the theme park
- Castle in the Sky (1986)
- My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
- Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
- Whisper of the Heart (1995)
- Princess Mononoke (1997)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- The Cat Returns (2002)
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
- Arrietty (2010)
- Earwig and the Witch (2020)
While these are just a joy to watch anyway
- Nausicaa of the Valley of the wind (1984)
- Only Yesterday (1991)
- Porco Rosso (1992)
- Pom Poko (1994)
- My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999)
- Tales from Earthsea (2006)
- Ponyo (2008)
- From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
- The Wind Rises (2013)
- The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
- When Marnie was there (2014)
- The Boy and the Heron (2023)
And if you need a good cry
- Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Which is your favourite? Personally Whisper of the Heart will always be my number one. And it’s recently been released as a live-action film as well!
For more information you can visit https://ghibli-park.jp/en/
Images © Studio Ghibli
Check out some more Studio Ghibli Theme Park official images here!