The Ghibli Museum

The Ghibli Museum

 

The Ghibli Museum is so famous it hardly needs my explanation. It's a place where the pinnacle of Japanese animation, created by Studio Ghibli centered around the renowned director Hayao Miyazaki, is exhibited. I'm not a huge animation fan, so I haven't seen many, but I have watched My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke. I took a train from Koenji Station to get there.

The Ghibli Museum is located between JR Sobu Line's Kichijoji and Mitaka Stations, making it accessible from either. However, I intentionally went to Mitaka Station to take the exclusive Ghibli Museum bus. You can also walk, which takes about 15 minutes from the station.

 

Ghibli shuttle bus

enterance of Ghibli Museum

 

For Ghibli, you need to book your admission ticket in advance, and there are designated entry times: 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM.

 

When you present your reservation receipt at the reception, they give you a ticket made from film. This also serves as your admission to a 15-minute movie shown inside. The movie was Totoro.

 

 

Photography is strictly prohibited inside the Ghibli Museum, so I couldn't take any pictures. I could only sneak a few shots outside the building. You can feel the immense care and attention to detail in every aspect of Ghibli's facilities, even in something as small as a uniquely designed water fountain.

 

 

 

 

 

                                       This is the view of Ghibli from the second-floor outdoor cafe.

 

 

The birdcage-like structure on the upper left of the photo is the staircase leading to the rooftop.

 

Once you go up, everyone takes a picture with this: the Robot Soldier from Castle in the Sky Laputa.

 

 

 

 

Ghibli is a place where they've put a lot of effort into everything, but it's a bit small, so the viewing ends quite quickly, which is a shame. If you ever go, I recommend not just seeing Ghibli but also taking a walk in Inokashira Park, where Ghibli is located.

 

Inokashira Park

 

Inokashira Park is a well-maintained park about 1.5 km long and is one of Tokyo's most famous. We didn't have enough time to see it all, but even at a glance, the lush woods and lake looked beautiful together. Who knows? You might even see Totoro waiting for the bus with you on a rainy day.