Totoro doesn’t normally drink. Or at least the character didn’t in the 1988 anime film, My Neighbor Totoro. But the fact that Studio Ghibli’s most recognisable character is seated behind a bar at Japan’s newest theme park isn’t particularly troubling. With no actual rides or major attractions, this is an experience that runs mainly on vibes – a mashup of ideas and brightly coloured images from Ghibli’s films that only pays off if you’re willing to put in the enthusiasm.
Ghibli Park, which opened in late 2022, is a shrine to Studio Ghibli – the globally renowned Japanese animation house known for producing award-winning, critically acclaimed anime. It currently consists of three separately ticketed areas, located within 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, a direct train ride from Nagoya. There’s Dondoko Forest, featuring all things My Neighbor Totoro; Hill Of Youth which is a mashup of The Cat Returns and Whisper Of The Heart; and the big show – Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse. Here, you’ll find a two-storey area featuring photo ops from previous films (including Spirited Away’s No-Face – a clear crowd favourite), themed playgrounds (where even adults climbed inside the plush Catbus), and a 170-seat theatre showing regular screenings of Ghibli shorts. The film we viewed, featuring adventurous preschoolers and a laughing whale, was a visit highlight, proving just how far director and Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki’s vision can stretch, while also providing a much-needed break from the good-spirited chaos.
It’s a testament to the power of Ghibli that the Grand Warehouse is still the only area available to foreign guests. Given that overseas ticket sales are gradually being rolled out – and that two additional areas, Valley Of The Witches (based on Howl’s Moving Castle and Kiki’s Delivery Service) and Mononoke Village (a tribute to Princess Mononoke) are still under construction, it might be worth waiting if the park is a bucket-list location.
If you’ve got a trip scheduled and you’re looking for a whimsical alternative, visit Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory in Tokyo, which makes Ghibli-endorsed desserts. And don’t worry, when you do make it to Ghibli Park, Totoro will still be there, ready to mix you a stiff one – just as Miyazaki intended.
Laura Studarus is a Los Angeles-based travel journalist who has written for BBC, Thrillist, Vice and Marie Claire
