The Ghibli Studio Museum (Ghibli Museum Tokyo) in Tokyo is the gateway into the wonderful world of Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved animation studio. This place has all the information that you need to get and discover everything. Let’s discover Ghibli Museum Tokyo — One of the best places you must-visit in Tokyo.
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Opened in 2001, the Ghibli Museum is located in Tokyo’s Mitaka District has become one of Tokyo’s most popular venues since then. It is the brainchild of Hayao Miyazaki, who is the founder of the studio.The museum was designed as the gateway into Ghibli’s animated world. It will give you the opportunity to have a fun, exciting and surprising discovery, unlike any other museum. This museum is also a place to remember the achievements of the studio and a place to share the unique philosophy of the studio.
The Ghibli Museum panorama
Set between Mitake and Kichioji, the Ghibli Museum is located in the green Inokashira Park, which is a peaceful location for this museum. Inside and out of the museum was designed by Hayao Miyazaki, which is even more obvious when you walk through the museum gates. The architecture of this place is unique with round stones, eyebrows, and surprises hidden in every corner.
You can find the characters from Ghibli’s everywhere, especially the guard robots in the Castle in Sky movie on the terrace garden.
Each room is uniquely designed which reflects the Ghibli’s famous beauty. The first floor is about history which is a panorama of the studio, from its humble beginnings to the present. It has an introduction to animation techniques used by the studio. In addition, you will have the opportunity to view exclusive images in the showroom inside the museum. The second floor is placed to show the temporary exhibits.You should remember that taking pictures in the museum is not allowed for keeping the magic to stay with it.
The special exhibitions
The special exhibits of the Ghibli Museum are one of its highlights. The exhibits often involve a distinct aspect of studio work, a special film or some animation. Occasionally, there are also exhibitions for a non-Ghibli movie, which has previously featured screenings on Wallace Gromit and Pixar.
The most recent exhibit is to commemorate the founding of the museum’s 15th year, with the theme “All in the car! Cat Bus to Ghibli Forest “takes place until May 2017. (Watch on the homepage for special exhibitions: http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/)
The resources in the museum
In addition to the exhibits, there are some additional resources that you should visit during your time stay here.
The Straw Hat Cafe is where visitors can enjoy a meal and drink while they are in the museum. The hot and cold beverages, snacks and desserts are all available on the menu. Although they look simple but have excellent quality. All the ingredients here are selected from organic farms and are always fresh. You should remember to try the chef’s special pork sandwich and the strawberry shortcake.
The Tri-Hawks, a play on words from Mitake (meaning three hawks), is a specially designed reading room in the museum. You can find books for children and adults which are selected by Hayao Miyazaki himself, and a great environment for reading those books.
The tickets to the Ghibli Museum
Please note that the tickets are not sold at the museum itself. The tickets of this museum must be purchased in advance to reserve before the date and time. You can buy the tickets before you arrive in Japan or when you come here. You have to remember that the tickets here are sold very fast and the resale prices can be very expensive. Here are the Ghibli Museum tickets you can refer to:
Over 19 years old: 1000 yen
13-18 years old: 700 yen
7-12 years old: 400 yen
4-6 years old: 100 yen
Under 4 years old: Ticket free
If you are not in Japan, you can buy the tickets abroad. The tickets are sold online through Lawson Ticket and Ghibli’s Burial Partners. You can find the link that you want, depending on your country and territory.
If you buy the tickets in Japan, the tickets are sold at every Lawson convenience store in Japan through the Loppi automatic ticket machine.If not, the staff at the store will be happy to help you buy your ticket. Tickets usually sell out very quickly, so plan ahead and buy as soon as you can.
How to get to the Ghibli Studio Museum
Train: If you want to travel by train, you can take the JR Chuo Line to Mitaka Station. Traveling from Shinjuku will take about 20 minutes and 220 yen. Then go to the south gate and follow Tamagawa Josui to the platform.You also can get off at Kichioji Station, which is a 20-minute walk from Inokashira Park.
Bus: If you want to come to Ghibli Museum by bus, there is a free bus ride from Mitaka Station to Ghibli Museum.
The information for visitors
Address: 1 Chome-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0013, Japan
Phone: +81 570-055-777
Opening hours: 10:00 – 18:00
Time to come in the door: When you buy a ticket, you will be asked to select a time zone: 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 (to make sure you arrive on time in the ticket).
Closed time: Every Tuesday (except the first Tuesday of January) and during the New Year holidays (from December 29th to April 3rd).
The Museum’s hours and dates of events are often changed, so you have to remember to check the museum calendar for more information.
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