Studio Ghibli Theme Park Guide 2023
As Studio Ghibli joins the theme park scene, prepare to embark on a new adventure in an animated world.
Initially announced in 2017, Japan’s renowned animation company, Studio Ghibli, finally opened its doors to the public in November 2022. The 200-hectare site of the 2005 World Expo has been transformed into “Ghibli Park,” an immersive wonderland based on the beloved films of Studio Ghibli.
It’s important to note that Studio Ghibli Park is not to be confused with the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo.
Table of contents
Tickets & Opening Hours
Ghibli Park will be open from 10:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and will open one hour earlier, at 9:00, on weekends and holidays. Ghibli Park is closed every Tuesday. The park’s maximum daily capacity for the park is around 5,000 people.
All tickets must be reserved for a specific date and time, as there are no walk-ups or day-of sales.
Separate reservations are required for each area, noting only the entrance time is specified, and there is no limit on the exit time.
| Locaiton | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse (Weekdays) | 2,000 yen | 1,000 yen |
| Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse (Weekends & Holidays) | 2,500 yen | 1,250 yen |
| Dondoko Forest | 1,000 yen | 500 yen |
| Hill of Youth | 1,000 yen | 500 yen |
Combo Tickets
Note: These combo tickets are only sold through the Japanese website and aren’t available in English.
| Location | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse & Youth Hill (Weekdays) | 3,000 yen | 1,500 yen |
| Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse & Youth Hill (Weekends & Holidays) | 3,500 yen | 1,750 yen |
How to buy Ghibli Park tickets
Hotel / Train / Ghibli Park Ticket Package: Klook has a package with a hotel in Nagoya, a bullet train ticket from Tokyo, and your ticket to Ghibli Park. This is by far the easiest way to see Ghibli Park. Klook is a trusted third-party seller, so use them with confidence!
INTERNATIONAL TICKET SALES: Overseas Ghibli fans can buy tickets to the park through the park’s international ticket site.
WITHIN JAPAN: If you live in Japan, tickets for Ghibli Park are available through Boo-Woo Ticket and Loppi machines at Lawson and Mini Stop convenience stores throughout Japan or with a JTB travel agency accommodation package deal.
Tickets for the following month go on sale on the 10th of the month before. For example, January tickets would go on sale on December 10 at 2 PM Japan time.
Tickets for Mononoke Village go on sale on November 1.
Location
Address: 1533-1 Ibaragamama Otsu, Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture Aichi – Expo Memorial Park
Studio Ghibli Park is located in Aichi Expo Memorial Park in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture – about an hour east by train from Nagoya. A Tokyo to Nagoya Shinkansen (bullet train) will get you to the park in under 2 hours. After arriving in Nagoya, guests can access Ghibli Park via the Aichi Rapid Transit Tobu Kyuryo Line (Linimo), alighting at ‘Aichi Expo Memorial Park station.
Meitetsu Bus Company will operate several services to Aichi Expo Memorial Park (Ghibli Park) from November 1st. For a detailed timetable and prices, please visit the Meitetsu Bus official website.
From Nagoya Station: Meitetsu Bus Center – 4F Bus Stop No. 24 Bound for Aichi Expo Memorial Park
From Chubu Centrair International Airport: Terminal 1 “Fujigaoka” Bound for Aichi Expo Memorial Park
The Aichi Kanjo Railway plans to operate Ghibli Park-themed trains, with details yet to be released.
Founder Hayao Miyazaki committed to building the park without cutting down trees before construction began. Instead, the buildings have been constructed in existing clearings, which enhance the natural areas and create a stunning, eco-friendly theme park. The park embraces environmental themes throughout many of Ghibli’s animated features.
While there will be rides at Studio Ghibli Park, don’t expect roller coasters and other standard theme park fares. Instead, Studio Ghibli Park will offer guests a unique experience by immersing them in Ghibli’s fantasy world through lush gardens, highly themed buildings, dining, and other intimate experiences.
Studio Ghibli Park will be divided into five distinct areas based on the cherished Ghibli films. The park will open in phases, with Youth Hill, Ghibli’s Giant Warehouse, and Dondoko Forest opening with the park, followed by Witch Valley and Mononoke’s Village in 2023.
© Studio Ghibli
What to Expect at Studio Ghibli Theme Park
Youth Hill
The park’s entrance area, Youth Hill features an elevator observation tower featuring steampunk design elements invoking Howl’s Moving Castle, granting guests a great view of the whole park. The area also features a replica of the antique shop Chikyuu-ya, from the 1995 film Whisper of the Heart.
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
This large heated indoor area primarily functions as an event and exhibition space featuring Ghibli exhibits, a children’s playground, a recreation of the small town area in Spirited Away, plus a 170-seat theatre that screens the 10 short animations previously screened at Ghibli Museum. The Giant Warehouse is about four times bigger than the Ghibli Museum.
The area hosts many special exhibitions, including an expanded “Draw eating” exhibition previously held at the Ghibli Museum, which covers the delicious food featured in the works of Ghibli, including “Spirited Away,” “From Up on Poppy Hill,” and “Aya and the Witch.”
Dondoko Forest
Guests are invited to step into the world of My Neighbour Totoro with its lush nature and rural landscape. The area features a recreation of Satsuki and Mei’s house from My Neighbour Totoro, which was initially built in 2005 for the 2005 World Expo. Studio Ghibli has released several beautiful photos of the house, highlighting the detail that guests expect throughout the park.
Witch Valley (Opening March 16, 2024)
Inspired by the wastelands of Howl’s Moving Castle and Kiki’s Delivery Service, guests can visit Kiki’s home from Kiki’s Delivery Service, Witch House from Earwig and the Witch, plus the castle from Howl’s Moving Castle, which will stand five stories tall. Inside the castle, guests will be able to visit Howl’s bedroom.
Princess Mononoke Village (Opening November 1, 2023)
Princess Mononoke Village will transport guests to the Muromachi period (1336-1573) where the film is set. Based on the movie’s Irontown (Tataraba) village, the area will feature giant statues of the Tatarigami spirit monster plus other creatures from the treasured film.
Princess Mononoke Village can be entered from November 1, 2023, to February 12, 2024, with a combined ticket with Ghibli’s Great Warehouse.
Construction Photos
Until recently, we were limited to the concept art and illustrations of the upcoming park. Thankfully, Studio Ghibli’s Twitter account has given fans a rare insight into how construction is progressing on the much-anticipated theme park.
Most recently, Studio Ghibli released several images of the completed Observation tower in Youth Hill, found at the park’s entrances inside Aichi Expo Park. The elevator tower’s design is based on the late 19th-century fantasy scientific world of “Castle in the Sky.” The tower will be accessible to the public from today, free of charge.
Do you plan to visit the Studio Ghibli Theme Park on your next trip? Let us know! Also, don’t forget to check out where to find Studio Ghibli merchandise when you’re shopping in Japan.
Featured photos and information from the Studio Ghibli Official Twitter account, Ghibli Park website and the Aichi Prefecture Policy Planning Bureau website.
More Things to Do in Tokyo
My recommendations for things to do in and around Tokyo! Plan a day at the Hello Kitty theme park, Sanrio Puroland, and an afternoon at the popular TeamLab Planets TOKYO. Take a tour around Tokyo with the convenient hop-on and-off bus. Spend a rainy afternoon inside Japan’s largest indoor theme park, Tokyo Joyoplis, near Tokyo Disney!
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Yes! We definitely plan on visiting the Studio Ghibli Theme Park. Everything looks so awesome.
Can’t wait for this to open! I hope I can go to Japan someday soon.
Yeahhh… someday I’ll go there…. My dream park 🥹😍❤️
This is so awesome! Thank you! I am excited to read about the change in tickets for February. Do you happen to know if a) by then they will be available to order outside of Japan and b) What time in the morning they go on sale on the 10th of each month? (Sorry if I missed that!) Thank you!
How much time would you suggest you can spend in each district? Since you do not want to miss anything or your entry time slot for the next district.
The park is new, and I was only able to go once so I can’t give a good answer. Do as much as you can, is the best I can give.
We don’t know when they’ll make tickets available for overseas guests. Once we know, we’ll update this article.
I noticed that the international site only lists tickets for the Grand Warehouse and one entry time. While the Japanese site for the park lists the multiple sections and multiple times. I wonder if they will be limiting intensional tickets to just the warehouse? I couldn’t tell because it seems like the Lawson ticket site isn’t live yet.
It’s hard to say. We’ll have to wait and see.
I think i got tickets to the Grand warehouse for January but I’m living overseas so, a little confused when everything says it’s not open! will it be alright? D: is there a way to know?
If you have a ticket for the Ghibli Warehouse, then you’re able to enter the Warehouse with that ticket. Other areas of the Park aren’t open just yet and you’d need separate tickets for them anyway.
I am going alone on Wednesday, Then, later I hope that all our family can go together. I support the philosophy of the ecological considerations for the tourist situation at this park.
Hi, I just came across your helpful video on YouTube. We could only get ticket to the Warehouse but it seems to me the outside of Hill of Youth/Dondoko Forest are accessible to those who don’t have ticket. Is this true? Which areas can we explore without getting ticket to those two places? And can we ride the Ghibli Bus even if we don’t have ticket to Dondoko Forest? Thanks.
Yes, you need separate tickets for those areas.
Do I need to print the QR code to enter do i just show the QR code? I can’t seem to find the print icon using my mobile phone.
Thank you for the detailed information! We are coming to Tokyo July 1, 2024. Since the park is closed on Tuesdays, our only day to visit would be Wednesday, July 3 on our way to Kyoto. Would the bullet train to Kyoto stop at the Ghibli Park stop? Thank you for any insight.