In news that’s had us frantically googling flight prices to Japan, more details have emerged about the long-awaited Studio Ghibli theme park that’s due to open in Nagoya, Japan, on November 1.
Each section is designed to blend in with the expansive natural landscape of the park, and recreates the magical settings from Hayao Miyazaki’s hits such as My Neighbor Totoro, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and others.
In a new video trailer for the park, you can see the lush surroundings and bamboo forests that the attractions are being built around, as well as the life-sized Satsuki and Mei house which was recreated back in 2005. Visitors will have access to its Hill of Youth, Ghibli Large Warehouse, and Dondoko Forest sections, while Mononoke’s Village and the Valley of Witches sections are expected to be completed in autumn 2023.
Variety reports that one of Hayao Miyazaki’s conditions for this whole theme park project was that no trees be cut down for its construction; the focus will reportedly be on trail paths and smaller rides, rather than large rollercoasters.
Previous depictions of the park, which is expecting as many as 1.8 million visitors per year once it’s fully opened, and is around three hours’ train ride from Tokyo, revealed a giant Totoro tree and a life-sized Catbus.
Speaking to Dazed last year, Goro Miyazaki said: “It’s basically a public park, where people can walk around. We’ve created spaces that bring Ghibli architecture into real-life. People will be able to go inside the architecture and touch things and smell things. Like having the feeling of going inside the world of Ghibli in some way.”
Studio Ghibli has now unveiled an official website for the space, outlining more of its attractions: “Ghibli's Grand Warehouse is an indoor facility that stores all of the studio’s secrets, from large to small artifacts and exhibits from past Studio Ghibli movies,” it says. “You will find from fantasy-filled exhibitions such as Robot Soldier, Cat Bus, and kid-sized film studio exhibitions, to materials and resources that reveal the secrets of Studio Ghibli films.
It emphasises the lack of large rides and attractions at the park, instead promising future visitors they can “take a stroll, feel the wind, and discover the wonders.”
Take a look at the trailer titled “Play along with the Wind”, to get a closer look at the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagoya, within which the park is being built.
