World’s first Ghibli park set to open in Japan this year (deets inside)

It is divided into five sections: Hill of Youth, Ghibli’s Large Warehouse, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke’s Village, and Valley of Witches. Visitors will initially have access to the first three sections; the latter two are expected to be completed by 2023 fall.

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | February 3, 2022 11:30 AM IST

A still from the Studio Ghibli movie 'My Neighbour Totoro' featuring the catbus, Satsuki and Totoro. (Photo: Studio Ghibli UK/ Instagram)

Studio Ghibli is finally bringing its magical settings from Hayao Miyazaki’s evergreen and much-beloved movies into life in a long-anticipated theme park in Japan which has now officially announced its opening date.

The park, located three hours’ train ride away from Tokyo, in Nagakute’s Aichi Commemorative Park, is a joint venture between Studio Ghibli, the government of the Aichi Prefecture, and Chunichi Shimbun, a local newspaper.

Studio Ghibli announced the opening in a simple tweet stating the date along with an image of Totoro’s character from the Ghibli movie, My Neighbour Totoro.
https://twitter.com/JP_GHIBLI/status/1486579727204712448
The Ghibli Theme Park, designed on a sprawling 494 acres land, is set to open its gates on November 1, 2022. It is divided into five sections: Hill of Youth, Ghibli’s Large Warehouse, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke’s Village, and Valley of Witches. Visitors will initially have access to the first three sections; the latter two are expected to be completed by 2023 fall.

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The park has been designed with heavy contribution by Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro Miyazaki. The Aichi prefectural government had earlier declared that the area of the park featuring My Neighbour Totoro will have a replica of its characters Satsuki and Mei’s house, the catbus from the movie, and a giant Totoro tree, as reported by Dazed. It also stated that the park will house a recreation of the airship in Castle in the Sky, a replica of the witch’s home in Earwig and the Witch, and a brick-laid restaurant resembling a storehouse on the lakeshore of the park.

According to an article on Variety, Hayao Miyazaki insisted that there will be nature trails as opposed to largescale rides like rollercoasters. He also insisted that no trees be cut down in the process of constructing the park.

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