A theme park based on Studio Ghibli’s beloved anime movies is set to open this November. Ghibli Park will open its doors to visitors on November 1, although only one of the planned five areas will be ready for guests by that date.
The zone, that’s based on Ghibli’s 1988 animated movie classic My Neighbor Totoro, will allow guests to explore the natural environments of the Japanese countryside as well as a life-size recreation of the Tatsuo family home. The park’s other areas will be based on Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Kiki’s Delivery Service are all due to open sometime next year.
The park will be located in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture on the site of the 2005 World’s Fair in the city of Nagakute, about 150 miles west of Tokyo. The park is being built on a 494-acre plot giving it plenty of room to grow over the coming years, which is just as well because it is estimated 1.8 million visitors will come to the park annually when all sections are completed.
When construction began in 2020, Studio Ghibli producer Suzuki Toshio joked about legendary Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki interfering with the park. “[Miyazaki] can’t leave anything up to other people,” Suzuki said. “He’s a meddlesome old man.”
The opening day of the Ghibli Park was announced today. pic.twitter.com/01vhPGuJgq
— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) January 27, 2022
Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro Miyazaki, is said to have been heavily involved in planning the park, a joint venture between Studio Ghibli and the government of Aichi Prefecture.
The studio already runs the famous Ghibli Museum, which is based in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, Tokyo. The museum was designed by Hayao Miyazaki himself and regularly sells out of tickets just hours after opening.
If you love anime, be sure to check out our guide on where to stream One Piece or our Dragon Ball Z character ranking.