The Japanese animation film studio, Studio Ghibli, is known as the producer of some of the worldwide sensation animated films like “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” and “Spirited Away” will be expanding into offering fans an immersive experience with a theme park. That’s right, Studio Ghibli will be offering fans the chance to transport to the imaginative world from the animated Studio Ghibli films starting November 2022.
Undertaking A Massive Project
Studio Ghibli was founded over 35 years ago in 1985 building a reputation for its animated feature films while undertaking other projects like producing television commercials and one film. The Studio Ghibli brand has grown from the popularity of their animation film franchise and will be continuing the legacy of their films with the new theme park is no easy feat with a reported $300 million invested in the project.
The theme park rests on a 200-hectare plot featuring various sprawling grounds that are inspired by Ghibli films focusing on recreating scenes from their movies and nature trails rather than the traditional thrill rides featured at other theme parks. In context, the size of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is 50-hectares and Animal Kingdom is around 230 hectares with Studio Ghibli’s theme park being roughly around the same size as two of Disney World’s biggest theme parks.
What Can Visitors Expect?
The Studio Ghibli theme park will feature five distinct sections inspired by animated films including “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke,” and “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” Each section is inspired by the surrounding landscape and locations featured in Studio Ghibli animated films.
Springtime of Life Hill or Youth Hill
Based on “Howl’s Moving Castle,” this portion of the park will feature steampunk elements including an elevator that will give visitors a great view of the whole theme park. This part of the theme park will be located near the front entrance of the park containing elements of 19th century-inspired accents that will also draw some inspiration from the “Whisper of the Heart” film including the antique shop featured in the movie.
Donkodo Forest Area
This part of the park is inspired by “My Neighbor Totoro” featuring a replica of Satsuki and Mei’s house from the animated film with a surrounding lush rural landscape. For this area, visitors can take a walking tour and path that is designed to take into account the existing area of the infrastructure.
Ghibli Large Warehouse Area
This area will feature a dining section inspired by “Spirited Away” and the space is designed to be accessible any time of the year regardless of weather conditions (Daily Sabah with AFP, 2022). The large indoor area will feature Western and Japanese-style buildings that host exhibition spaces, dining locations, play areas, and shops.
Mononoke’s Village Area
Inspired by “Princess Mononoke,” this area will feature a replica of Irontown drawing inspiration from the Muromachi period (1336-1573) depicted in the film. This area will also house giant sculptures of the movie’s creatures and spirits that are one of the locations opening in 2023 (Ghibli Park, 2022).
Witches’ Valley Area
This unique space will draw influence from the magical aspects of the animated films “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “Kiki’s Delivery Service” featuring a replica of Howl’s castle, Kiki’s family home, and a small amusement park. This is another one of the areas that will be open to the public starting in 2023.
When Is The Grand Opening Of The Theme Park?
The Studio Ghibli theme park will be located in Aichi Commemorative Park near Nagoya in central Japan that first served as a site for the 2005 World’s Fair. The new theme park is planning on hosting the grand opening in November 2022 with other parts of the park that will open starting in 2023. Are you a fan of animated films by Studio Ghibli and are making plans to visit the new theme park?
