The worlds that are created in Ghibli movies have moved audiences all over the world. The anime movies of Studio Ghibli transport you to a world full of spirituality and nature, and have a decidedly mixed Japanese-European style. Besides the immensely popular Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, a new must-see destination for all Ghibli fans has opened in November 2022. Near Nagoya, a city that is located on the Shinkansen track between Tokyo and Kyoto, the wonderful Ghibli Park Nagoya is now awaiting Studio Ghibli’s biggest enthusiasts. What can you expect from your visit here, and how to get tickets in the first place?
How to Get Tickets for the Ghibli Park Nagoya?
Just like for the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, getting tickets for Ghibli Park Nagoya is very difficult. It is currently only possible to buy tickets if you are a resident of Japan and even then, you have to participate in a lottery where many will be disappointed. At this moment, the focus is on Japan residents and giving them the opportunity to visit before international tourists come back in large numbers. The park has many more would-be visitors than spaces it has every day, so even locals have to wait their turn.
Is there nothing you can do to still get your hands on these coveted tickets? The good news is that there is one backdoor; some travel agencies in Japan have contracts with the Ghibli Park and can get a limited amount of tickets for tourists who travel through them. Japan City Tour is able to arrange tickets for tour participants of the fun Cherry Blossoms and Amusement Park Tour Package!
What’s in the Ghibli Park Nagoya?
Because they want you to fully immerse yourself in the Ghibli universe, just like in the Ghibli Museum no one is allowed to use their cell phone in the park, meaning that there are very few pictures of the actual attractions. But what we can tell you is that they went to great lengths to painstakingly recreate the mysterious and dreamy world that made Ghibli movies so popular. Every little detail has been added, and there are real artifacts from the time periods in which the stories take place.
You can walk your way through different Ghibli movies in various themed areas, among which are Satsuki and Mei’s house, the Hill of Youth with a beautiful view, a Grand Warehouse boasting exhibits and playrooms, and the soon-to-open Mononoke Village and the Village of Witches. All areas boast plenty of greenery, giving the whole park a natural feel.
Common Elements
Common themes and artistic styles are shown throughout the Ghibli universes; environmentalism, flight, childhood, metamorphosis, climate, worlds within worlds, community, and mythologies of Japan and Europe. Although each story takes place in apparently different worlds, these common thematic threads often unite them in something unmistakable.
One key element in the making of spectacular films is the use of color. Matching colors is a very important key to convey a film’s meaning and is used to reinforce time. “It is often said that the use of different colors is something that the Japanese are good at,” explained one of Ghibli’s producers. “We use different colors for the same things: colors for the morning, dusk, and twilight. We create time by changing colors for different hours of the day. It sounds obvious, but it’s almost never been explained with real frames.”
Recommended Ghibli Movies
- The Spirited Away (Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
- My Neighbor Totoro (Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 1988)
- The Wind Rises (Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 2013)
- The Tomb of the Fireflies (Dir. Isao Takahata, 1988)
- Kiki: Home Delivery (Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 1989)
- The Castle in the Sky (Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 1986)
Your Japan Tour
If you are thinking about making a trip to Japan, as seasoned Japan experts we offer your perfect Japan tour, including destinations like the Ghibli Park. Check out our Cherry Blossoms and Amusement Park Tour Package that has both the Ghibli Park and the Ghibli Museum on the itinerary!