Dreamy Studio Ghibli Theme Park Set To Open In Japan In November 2022!

Fans of Studio Ghibli films have been excited over the opening of the brand-new Studio Ghibli Theme Park in Japan since the news was announced back in 2017. Just recently, new concept art and photos of semi-completed areas of the park were revealed, providing a sneak peek of how the Aichi Expo Memorial Park in Japan's Aichi Prefecture will be transformed into five dreamy Studio Ghibli-themed lands. ✨

A tweet on Studio Ghibli's official Twitter account earlier this year hinted that the theme park is set to open its doors on November 1, 2022! That means we're just a couple of months away from entering the whimsical worlds of Studio Ghibli. Keep reading to find out what we know about the theme park so far.

The whimsical Studio Ghibli Theme Park will be nestled within the Aichi Expo Memorial Park in Aichi Prefecture, a countryside prefecture located east of Nagoya. It can be reached within three hours by train from Tokyo. We can already imagine it as a popular day trip destination for those travelling to Tokyo! The park will cover a wide area of about 17.5 hectares when complete and is surrounded by green landscapes that are similar to the nature settings in our favourite Studio Ghibli films.

From what we know, the Studio Ghibli Theme Park will be made up of five theme lands featuring scenes and replicas from different Studio Ghibli films. The five themed lands include the "Ghibli's Grand Warehouse", "Dondoko Forest" (My Neighbour Totoro-themed land), "Hill of Youth", a "Mononoke Village" (to be completed in 2023), and a "Valley of Witches" area (to be completed in 2023) inspired by both Kiki's Delivery Service and Howl's Moving Castle.

Some elements and highlights fans can look forward to include a dining area based on the Spirited Away film, a replica of Irontown from the Princess Mononoke movie, a life-sized Howl's Moving Castle (which is rumoured to be four to five storeys tall!), a Totoro-themed outdoor playground, a replica or Kiki's childhood home, galleries and cinemas with statues of Ghibli characters, Japanese and Western architectural designs, nature trails, rest areas, and more.

The folks behind the theme park have mentioned that lots of care will be put into the construction of the space and that their aim is to preserve the peaceful and natural beauty of the memorial park (which also aligns with the natural vibes that many Studio Ghibli films give off). In fact, Miyazaki himself has insisted that no trees will be cut down in the formation of the park.

If you're expecting thrilling rides such as roller coasters, you may be slightly disappointed as there won't be big rides in the Studio Ghibli Theme Park. The park will instead be focused on being an immersive space that will allow visitors to feel like you're a Studio Ghibli character yourself. There will however still be a range of indoor and outdoor zones to allow fun regardless of weather or season! The park's official website encourages future visitors to "take a stroll, feel the wind, and discover the wonders."

Unfortunately, there's no news on entry ticket prices yet! We suggest you check out Ghibli Park's official website from time-to-time for the latest information.

As of now, the target open date that has been revealed on the official website is 1 November 2022! Despite some roadblocks due to the pandemic, the theme park's construction is currently ongoing smoothly, and we hope it gets to open on time. ✨

While limited information has been released about the theme park, we already can't wait to hop on a plane once it's ready! As for now, make sure to stay safe so we can explore the world again once Japan reopens its borders fully again.