Movies

Everything we know about Ghibli Park so far

Planning a trip to Japan this November? Here's what you can expect from Ghibli Park.

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Published on February 7, 2022 04:49PM EST

Something wondrous is coming this fall: Studio Ghibli's first theme park, simply dubbed Ghibli Park, will be opening its doors in the year 2022, seeing a long-in-the-making moment finally come to fruition.

The park, located in Nagakute, Aichi in Japan, takes inspiration from the works of Studio Ghibli, the beloved animation house behind Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, and more. An official website launched in February as the destination inches closer to its formal opening.

Here's everything we can expect from Ghibli Park.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO — A still from 'My Neighbor Totoro,' directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

When is opening day?

Ghibli Park will open its doors on Nov. 1, 2022, but the public won't have access to the park in its entirety. Only Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth, and Dondoko Forest areas will be open by November, while two others — Valley of Witches and Mononoke Village — will open in 2023. (More on those in a bit.)

Where is Ghibli Park located?

Ghibli Park rests within Aichi Expo Memorial Park, the largest park in Aichi, set on a 200-hectare plot of land.

The location already featured a recreation of Satsuki and Mei's house from My Neighbor Totoro, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki about two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who befriend local spirits after moving to a countryside home with their father as their mother recovers from an illness. The house was constructed for the 2005 World's Fair, and now it's being redeveloped into Ghibli Park.

No trees were cut down to make room for Ghibli Park, according to Centrip Japan. Instead, the attractions were constructed around them. This is in line with Aichi Park's own ecological theme, as well as the message of many Ghibli films that see humans and nature living together in harmony.

A free bus is available within the park to ferry patrons to various locations.

Will Ghibli Park have rides?

No, there are no big attractions or rides in Ghibli Park. The official website instead encourages attendees to "take a stroll, feel the wind, and discover the wonders."

What is inside Ghibli Park?

There are five areas of Ghibli Park, each taking inspiration from specific Ghibli works.

Studio Ghibli Park — Ghibli Park's Grand Warehouse concept art. Ghibli Park

Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, which takes nods from Spirited Away, houses small artifacts and exhibits from past movies, such as the Robot Soldier from Castle in the Sky and Cat Bus from My Neighbor Totoro. It will also feature dining locations, shops, an exhibition room, a video exhibition room, a children's playground, and a warehouse.

The goal is to create something indoors so people can visit year-round regardless of weather conditions.

Hill of Youth and Dondoko Forest will also open alongside Grand Warehouse. The former will house the World Emporium, the antique shop from Whisper of the Heart. The main elevator building incorporates steampunk architectural elements found in Howl's Moving Castle and offers patrons a view of the entire land.

Dondoko Forest is where you'll find Satsuki and Mei's home.

Valley of Witches takes its name from characters in Howl's Moving Castle and Kiki's Delivery Service, and features replicas of two locations from those films.

The titular castle of Howl's Moving Castle and the bakeshop from Kiki's Delivery Service are seen in concept art for the area, as are playgrounds for kids. The designs include a small teacup ride with illustrations of Kiki's black cat, Jiji.