The Ultimate Ghibli Park Guide
When I first found out that there was going to be a Ghibli theme park opening in Japan I could hardly contain my excitement! I have long been a fan of Studio Ghibli films after first watching Kiki’s Delivery Service as a kid when it was released on home video in partnership with Disney!
So once I found out the news about Ghibli Park, I watched and waited for news of its development, construction, and opening. As the years went on, I felt like it would never open. Then FINALLY, in November 2022, Ghibli Park opened to the public! As expected, it is full of all the whimsy and magic you associate with Ghibli films and is a must-visit for any Ghibli lover!
In this Ghibli Park guide, you’ll find out everything you need to know about visiting Ghibli Park such as how to get tickets to Ghibli Park, transportation options, dining, and attractions at Ghibli Park. Plus if you are forced to make the excruciating choice between Ghibli Park and Ghibli Museum this will hopefully help you make the best decision for you!
How to Get to Ghibli Park
Ghibli Park is located in the 2005 Expo Aichi Commemorative Park near Nagoya. Most people visiting Ghibli Park typically visit on a day trip from Nagoya which is easy to do and this is the route we decided to take on our visit too!
How to Get to Ghibli Park by Train
The fastest way to get to Ghibli Park from Nagoya is to take two local trains. From Nagoya Station take the Higashiyama Line to Fujigaoka Station then transfer to the Linimo to Ai-Chikyuhaku-Kinen-Koen Station which is just outside of the North Entrance to Ghibli Park.
From there you will take Exit 2 and walk about 5 minutes to get into the park. The journey takes around 45-60 minutes and costs around ¥670 one-way. I don’t recommend traveling to Ghibli Park with luggage if you can avoid it but they do have some luggage storage lockers at the North Entrance of the Aichi Park.
How to Get to Ghibli Park by Shuttle Bus
Another way to get to Ghibli Park is by shuttle bus. There is a Meitetsu bus service that departs from the Meitetsu Bus Center at Nagoya Station to Ghibli Park. 6 buses operate per day from Nagoya Station to Ghibli Park and 5-6 buses operate per day from Ghibli Park to Nagoya Station.
How to Get to Ghibli Park by Car
Because we were on a road trip in Japan we decided to drive to Ghibli Park since we were heading to Shizuoka after visiting the park. Although I received conflicting information regarding parking at the Aichi Expo Park, I found two parking lots on Google Maps that had reviews sharing their experience with parking there to visit Ghibli Park.
The first is the North Parking Lot which is next to the main station, a Lawson, and the Aichi Expo Park gift shop. This is the one we parked at. The second is the West Parking Lot which is close to the West Entrance. There are other parking lots for Aichi Expo Park but they are further away from the Ghibli Park entrances.
If you do plan to drive I would recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before the park opens that way you can guarantee a parking spot.
Transportation at Ghibli Park
Most of the Ghibli Park attractions are easily walkable from one another with one exception, Dondoko Forest which is about 15 minutes outside of the main area. However, there are a few courtesy buses that continually loop through the park stopping at 7 areas in the park including Dondoko Forest, the Japanese Garden, Park West Exit, Ghibli Warehouse, the Large Lawn Square (near Valley of Witches), Mononoke Village, and the Global Citizen Exchange Center (Park North Exit/Train Station). The bus plays an upbeat melody as it’s driving around to help spot it and bus stops are marked at most locations.
How to Get Tickets to Ghibli Park
Perhaps one of the main questions I’ve received about Ghibli Park is how to get tickets to Ghibli Park. This is the method I had success with when buying my Ghibli Park tickets however I do want to note that I visited in late November which isn’t peak season.
If you are trying to visit Ghibli Park during sakura season or prime autumn foliage there may be an influx of people attempting to buy tickets. Regardless, the method of purchasing tickets is the same so here’s what I recommend.
- First thing to know, Ghibli Park tickets can be bought online 2 months in advance on the 10th of each month at 2pm Japan Standard Time (JST). For example, if you want to visit in April you can purchase tickets starting on February 10th at 2pm JST.
- Before your dates open make sure you familiarize yourself with the Ghibli Park international ticket website so you know what it looks like and what to expect.
- Make sure you know the time difference between your location and JST and set an alarm on your phone for at least 10-15 minutes before the tickets become available.
- On the day your tickets become available make sure to have your credit card, passport, and the website open on your computer and/or your phone. I had it open on my computer and phone and entered the ticket queue at the same time. On my computer, I was 832 in line and on my phone, I was 3,289 in line. Regardless I kept both of these open in case one crashed. It took me around 45 minutes to get through the queue.
- Once you are in the queue DO NOT REFRESH! This can cause you to lose your place!
- Once you are in you’ll be able to select between the two park passes and then that will open a calendar.
- Click on the time slot you want on the date you plan to visit. NOTE: This time slot is currently ONLY for Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse. The rest of the park can be visited at your leisure.
- Select how many tickets you will be purchasing as reflected by people in your party. You can purchase up to 6 tickets at once.
- You will then be asked to enter your email address and phone number to register for an account.
- You will then be asked to create a 4-digit PIN. Make sure it’s something you can remember and write it down. This pin will be used to access your tickets later.
- You will then enter the legal name of yourself or one of your party members which will be linked to the tickets. Make sure this matches the name on your passport because you will be required to verify this when using your tickets!
- After completing your purchase, print out your tickets showing the QR codes for each member of your party. For example, if you have four members in your party there should be four QR codes shown on your printed paper. You must bring a printed copy of this with you for entry so I highly recommend printing it before you leave for Japan and putting it in a safe place in a backpack or carry-on luggage.
How Much Do Ghibli Park Tickets Cost?
There are two passes you can currently get at Ghibli Park for international visitors. The first is the Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass which includes all five areas of the park but does not include the World Emporium (Hill of Youth), Satsuki and Mei’s House (Dondoko Forest), and The Okino Residence, Howl’s Castle, and The House of Witches (Valley of Witches). This pass costs 3,500-4,000 yen for adults and 1,750-2,000 yen for children ages 4-12.
The second pass is the Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium which includes all five areas of the park AND entry into the World Emporium, Satsuki and Mei’s House, The Okino Residence, Howl’s Castle, and The House of Witches. This pass costs 7,300-7,800 yen for adults and 3,650-3,900 for children ages 4-12.
For both of these passes the only attraction with timed entry is Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse. These time slots are 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, and 3pm. If possible I would recommend visiting on one of the earliest time slots because once you are in the warehouse you can stay as long as you like so it only gets busier throughout the day. However, these time slots tend to go quickly! On our visit, the earliest time slot available was 12pm despite my being 832 in line! Prices vary depending on the day you visit (weekdays vs weekends and holidays).
As far as choosing between the two passes I would highly recommend getting the premium day pass that way you can visit all of the attractions and gain entry to the special attractions. Yes, it costs more but part of the experience is visiting these specific attractions!
Attractions at Ghibli Park
Ghibli Park is currently made up of five different main attractions: Mononoke Village, Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, Valley of Witches, and Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse.
Mononoke Village
Movie Attractions: Princess Mononoke
Mononoke Village is a small attraction at Ghibli Park but if you’re a fan of Princess Mononoke you’ll enjoy this attraction. As soon as you step in you’ll notice The Watchtower from Emishi Village where you can walk up to take some photos.
From the Watchtower there are two statues. The first is of the Demon Spirit and the second is a sculpture of Lord Ottoko which is also a slide for kids! Both of these are covered in beautiful mosaics that add great detail.
Towards the back of the village, you’ll find Tatara-ba, a place where you can grill gohei mochi over charcoal. Gohei mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet famous in the Chubu Region. It is commonly covered in a paste made from crushed walnuts, soy sauce, and miso but at Tatara-ba you can choose from three different flavors: traditional walnut miso, soy sauce (also with walnuts), or napolitan (ketchup).
Before leaving, visit the Mononoke Village Rest Stop which is a gift shop that sells items that are exclusive to Mononoke Village! Here we bought a cute Kodama charm, a goshuincho (temple/shrine stamp book), and of course, we had to buy the Ashitaka and Mononoke hats!
Hill of Youth
Movie Attractions: Whisper of the Heart & The Cat Returns
On the Hill of Youth, the main attraction you’ll find is The World Emporium, a replica of the antique shop that Shizuku finds in Whisper of the Heart. I looked all around for a real-life Moon but sadly didn’t see that cheeky cat! But you can step inside to see model items such as antique clocks, wooden toys, furniture, and more. Below on the 1st floor is the violin workshop where Seiji crafted his violins and where he played for Shizuku while she sang “Country Roads!”
While at the World Emporium make sure to step out on the terraces you can find on both floors because they offer a view of Aichi Park. Before leaving you can also buy postcards and stamps to mail at the Rotary. After, visit the cute Cat Bureau which has scenes from The Cat Returns. The Cat Bureau is a small cat-sized wooden building where you can see the Baron and Muta surrounded by many cat-sized items.
The last attraction on the Hill of Youth is The Rotary which is an outdoor space with a roundabout similar to the one in the town square in Whisper of the Heart. Take the postcards and stamps you purchased at the World Emporium to the Rotary to send some mail to friends back home!
Dondoko Forest
Movie Attractions: My Neighbor Totoro
The Dondoko Forest has two main attractions, Satsuki and Mei’s House and Dondoko-do. First, we visited Satsuki and Mei’s House which is a PERFECT replica from the structure of the house to the items inside the house, and even the peaceful setting in the forest. I was thoroughly impressed by the details put into the house and the best part was that it is a hands-on exhibit! You can open drawers, closets, doors, and more! This makes it easy to picture soot sprites running around the house!
The Dondoko Gate is located near Satsuki and Mei’s House on a gravel path leading up to Totoro, or more specifically Dondoko-do, a large wooden structure for kids to play at. On the hilltop next to to Dondoko-do is the Dondoko Shop which sells small amulets, keychains, and other Totoro-themed souvenirs that are only available at this location.
After visiting Dondoko-do you can take a walking path back down to the park or you can take an automated electric tram down the hill. From there stop by Dondoko-dokoro if you haven’t already. It is a small roadside stand that sells drinks such as ramune and some other small souvenirs. There’s also a restroom here in case you need it!
Valley of Witches
Movie Attractions: Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, & Earwig and the Witch
The Valley of Witches is the last attraction to be finished in Ghibli Park. It features iconic settings from Ghibli’s many friendly witches and wizards. Sadly we didn’t get a chance to visit the Valley of Witches on our first visit to Ghibli Park because we were there before it opened but there are a ton of unique things to do there!
First, is the Okino Residence, the house where Kiki was raised. At the front of the house you’ll find a quaint outdoor garden space and inside you can visit Kiki’s bedroom and the witch’s shop where Kokiri, Kiki’s mother works. Additionally, you can visit the Guchokipanya Bakery which is where Kiki lived with Jiji, her mischievous black cat. Make sure you buy some bread and take a peek in the attic!
Perhaps one of the most celebrated replicas is that of Howl’s Castle which is 20-meters tall. Inside you’ll find the living room and furnace where Calcifer was his sassy self along with a replica of Howl’s iconic bedroom. I for one think about that room all the time! For the Sophie fans be sure to check out the Hatter’s Millinery which is where you’ll find Sophie’s workshop.
At the House of Witches, you can view the house where Earwig was taken to live including scenes like Bella Yaga’s workshop and Earwig’s bedroom all from Earwig & The Witch.
As you might have guessed, the Valley of Witches has a specialty gift shop too! You’ll find this at the Witches Coven 13 where you can shop for unique items in this part of Ghibli Park.
Before leaving the Valley of Witches stop by the flying machine which has replica planes from Ghibli films (this ride is for children and accompanying adults only) and the carousel which is colorfully decorated with animals, ride cars, and many images from Ghibli films. It costs 1,000 yen for adults to ride and 500 yen for children.
Another fun spot for children is the Tower of Aviators which has This house is a play area for kids who admire soaring through the sky like Pazu from Castle in the Sky and Tombo from Kiki’s Delivery Service.
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
Movie Attractions: All Ghibli Films
Of all the areas of Ghibli Park, Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse is the largest and probably the most iconic. Inside Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, there are a TON of photo opportunities, nostalgic shops, a small theater, and activities to enjoy. The Grand Warehouse can be overwhelming but let me break it all down for you!
The Exhibition Hall
The Exhibition Hall features interactive exhibits where you can become part of the movie sets featuring characters from 13 different Ghibli films. Some of the exhibits are smaller scale but still offer lovely displays whereas others are much larger scale. A few popular scenes you’ll find include Porco Rosso’s infamous duel, Pazu catching Sheeta when she fell from the sky, journeying on the Sea Railway with No Face, and riding waves with Ponyo.
I recommend visiting the Exhibition Hall when you first get into Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse because it is where we have spent the most time. The lines will be long but from our experience, they only got longer as the day went on. Once you get past the first display, which is No Face from Spirited Away the crowds dispersed significantly.
One of my favorite exhibits in the Exhibition Hall is Memorable Meals which was previously displayed at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. This part of the hall doesn’t allow photography but it features production materials, sketches, replicas of food from various films, and a reproduction of the kitchen from From Up on Poppy Hill.
At the end of the Exhibition Hall is a collection of posters, film covers, books, and other promotional material from over the years and across the world. It was neat to see how the movie posters varied depending on the region they were shown.
Cinema Orion
After leaving the Exhibition Hall we headed to Cinema Orion which shows a featured short film at different times throughout the day. I recommend heading to the cinema after leaving the Exhibition Hall (or right before if it works better for you) because it’s easy to lose track of time in Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse and I’ve heard from many people that they thought they would save it for last only to miss the last showing of the day.
The short film changes each month and is exclusive to Ghibli Park and the Ghibli Museum. The film we saw when visiting was Mei and the Kittenbus, a short that is a sequel to My Neighbor Totoro. It tells the lighthearted story of Mei and her adventures with a kittenbus. You can find the latest short film by visiting the Ghibli Park website.
The Open Warehouse
The Open Warehouse features colorful architecture and all around it you’ll find additional movie displays like Yubaba’s office (Spirited Away), The Philosophy Club room (From Up on Poppy Hill), and The Garden of Ruins (Castle in the Sky). We tried to make sure we looked at every nook and cranny of Ghibli Park but I’m sure we still missed things!
The House Below
The House Below has scenes from the Secret World of Arietty. You’ll start by climbing into an area where you feel as though you’re transformed into Arietty’s world. This area will lead you to a garden where you can take photos in pots, glass jars, and other displays feeling tiny like Arietty!
Children’s Town
Children’s Town is a replica of the Higashi-Koganei Station area in Tokyo which is near Studio Ghibli. It has a cityscape feel with colorful elements and many play areas for children including a pastel magical cat bus and a large Totoro kids can climb up on. This room is for children and their parents or caregivers to play and relax while at Ghibli Park!
Minami-Machi
Minami-Machi is a shopping street designed like an alleyway with beautiful lanterns. Along Minami-Machi are three tiny stores you can shop at. These get crowded so prepare to wiggle your way into the stores and wait in some lines!
The first store is the Neppu Bookstore where you can buy books related to Ghibli films. There are manga collections, art books, and many other choices. A lot of these are available at Donguri, the Ghibli store located around Japan but this is by far the largest collection we’ve seen!
The next store is Open Sky Models which as you might guess, sells scale model kits like the various airplanes featured in many Ghibli films such as Porco Rosso. The last is Penny Candy Shop Princess which sells TONS of nostalgic Japanese candies at inexpensive prices. You can also get a cold ramune to enjoy outside of the store.
Adventurous Flying Squadron Gift Shop
Now for one of the most chaotic parts of visiting Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, the gift shop. Although I fully expected the gift shop to be busy, I wasn’t expecting it to be THAT busy. After the Exhibition Hall, I think I spent the most time in the gift shop and not because I was shopping the whole time. It was difficult to navigate through the immense crowds and there were times it felt like nearly everyone who had a ticket that day was in the store at the same time, ha!
I promise I’m not trying to be dramatic, but more so I want to prepare you for the crowds because it can be overstimulating. There isn’t much that can be done about this except possibly visiting here first and then moving on to the Exhibition Hall but I recommend just allowing yourself at least an hour to look around the gift shop and just note that no matter when you visit, it will be busy. There are many unique items licensed only for Ghibli Park so it’s worth taking your time to shop there! I purchased a few stickers, keychains, pins, a t-shirt, and some other memorabilia.
Bonus Attractions at Ghibli Park
Here are a few small bonus attractions around Aichi Park that are in the Ghibli Park area and don’t require a ticket!
Toromon Gate
Near Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse and on the way to Dondoko Forest on foot is the Toromon Gate which closely resembles that from Spirited Away. This two-story gate was originally located at a restaurant in Nagoya and was relocated to the park.
As you enter you’ll see the familiar statue which scared Chihiro into going into the spirit world with her parents. This statue is called a Dōsojin Statue and is typically at the entrance of paths to protect travelers.
The Elevator Tower
If you enter from the North Entrance you’ll immediately notice The Elevator Tower which has architecture largely influenced by 19th-century sci-fi like that from Castle in the Sky and Howl’s Moving Castle. While it might seem like something to admire, it is an operating elevator so you can take it from the top of the North Entrance to the bottom to reach the park!
Ghibli Keepsake Benches
All around Aichi Park, you’ll find 15 different special benches you can sit and relax at but these benches seemingly have some peculiar lost items left on them! If you have time it’s a fun scavenger hunt to find each of the benches and identify the items to their owners!
Cat Castle Playground
When heading towards Mononoke Village you’ll see Cat Castle Playground which was inspired by the Cat King’s Castle from The Cat Returns. This playground is for kids 12 and younger and has a slide, zipline, and other fun adventures to explore!
Additional Gift Shops at Ghibli Park
I already mentioned the small gift shops located at each of the specific parks but there are also a few other places to visit in Ghibli Park where you can find unique Ghibli merchandise. The first is the Aichi Park Souvenir Park which has Aichi Park goods but also a significant amount of Ghibli items.
The second is the Lawson near the entrance of the North Parking Lot and train station. We popped in here to get a snack before leaving and while it was pretty picked over food-wise, there was a pretty large area with Ghibli items like notebooks, folders, pens, figurines, and more.
Places to Eat in Ghibli Park
Transcontinental Flight Cafe
Location: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
The Transcontinental Flight Cafe is the only larger restaurant in the park right now. It has sandwiches, pizza, bread, and sweets. On our visit, we chose to prioritize attractions over food, and when we finally arrived at the cafe around 3pm all but three sandwich options were sold out and the pizza was completely sold out. Because of this, I recommend visiting earlier if there is a specific item you want.
We ordered the prosciutto ham and cheese sandwich alongside some drinks and ordered some gelato from the Gelato Truck located on the outside terrace. They serve 6 flavors of gelato including chocolate miso, melon, salted milk, and blood orange. None of the food blew me away but I did love the novelty of the decor and the little flags they put in the sandwiches featuring different characters.
Small Snacks and Sweets at Ghibli Park
- Hot Tin Roof is a hot dog stand that sells giant hot dogs inside a small fluffy bun. You can find it at Valley of Witches
- Flying Oven is located inside a brick building inside Valley of Witches. It serves pie, quiche, and other baked goods.
- Milk Stand Siberian is located in Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse just outside of the main gift shop. It has local milk in a cute glass bottle that you can enjoy alongside a sweet red bean cake like in The Wind Rises.
- Tatara-ba in Mononoke Village has three kinds of gohei mochi you can grill over charcoal – traditional walnut miso, soy sauce, or napolitan (ketchup).
Recommended Ghibli Park Itinerary
Is it possible to visit all Ghibli Park attractions in a day? Yes! It is doable but you’ll want to make sure you arrive early or on time to ensure you have a full day at Ghibli Park. In my opinion, you’ll spend the most time at Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse because of its size and activities so I would recommend you try to get the earliest time slot you can. As far as the other four attractions you can easily visit each of them within an hour. So if you get a Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse time slot for 11am or 12pm you could visit two of the smaller attractions before your time slot.
Your itinerary might look something like this:
- 9 am: Hill of Youth
- 10 am: Mononoke Village
- 11 am: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
- 2 pm: Dondoko Forest
- 3:30 pm: Valley of Witches
Ghibli Park vs. Ghibli Museum
So this brings us to perhaps the most important question I’m asked, should I visit Ghibli Park or the Ghibli Museum? Having now visited both I can confidently say that they offer different experiences that work in tandem beautifully. If you can visit both, that would be my recommendation, especially if you love Ghibli, because I feel they are an extension of each other.
The Ghibli Museum is much smaller and has more of a whimsical feel because you disconnect from your phone and truly immerse yourself in the magic of Ghibli whereas at Ghibli Park you can connect with the scenes and characters more with memories to look back on through photos.
However, if you can only visit one consider the following:
- The Ghibli Museum is close to Tokyo making it an easy day trip whereas Ghibli Park is located outside of Nagoya. If you are going to be close to Nagoya on your trip to Japan then it is also an easy day trip but otherwise, it might be out of the way.
- If being able to take photos is important to you then I recommend visiting Ghibli Park since the Ghibli Museum does not allow photography.
- If it comes down to cost, the Ghibli Museum costs 1,000 yen whereas Ghibli Park costs anywhere from 3,500-7,800 yen depending on the day you visit and the pass you get.
I hope you found this Ghibli Park guide helpful! It is truly a fantastic experience for any Studio Ghibli lovers whether it be to relive the memories of your childhood or to escape to a simpler time for the day filled with endless joy!
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