Japanese Animation Studio Ghibli Museum In Mitaka

Published on Apr. 20, 2007 by Matt van Vuuren

Japanese animation work by Studio Ghibli is the best and most admired animation work to come out of Japan, I was fortunate enough to visit their museum located in Inokashira Park, Mitaka on the west-end of Tokyo.

Ghibli Museum is a museum featuring the Japanese anime work of Studio Ghibli, and is located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western suburb of Tokyo, Japan.

Founded in June 1985, the studio is headed by the directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and the producer Toshio Suzuki.

entrance to the ghibli museum in mitaka japan

The museum is a fine arts museum, but does not take the concept of a usual fine arts museum. With many features that are child-oriented and a sprawling and occasionally mazelike interior, the museum is a playfully created place. Unfortuntely, taking pictures inside was prohibited.

Centered around the motto appearing on the museum's website "Let's become lost children together", or "let's lose our way together" as it is translated in the English leaflet. It has no set path or order of viewing. While the museum brochure contains a variety of languages, the signs within the museum are in Japanese only.

magical cube and matt from laputa castle in the sky

The museum requires tickets be purchased in advance for a specific day, either from travel agencies outside Japan or Lawson convenience store ticket kiosks in Japan. The museum is a 15 minute walk from Mitaka Station. There is also a shuttle bus that goes from Mitaka Station to the museum. From Shinjuku Station in Central Tokyo it takes approximately 20 minutes to Mitaka Station on the JR Chūō Main Line.

It was truly a delight haven been able to visit this special museum. I talked to a few locals on the way back to the station during dusk. The people in Mitaka were extremely polite and gentle and were pretty good in convercing in English.

coolest robot ever - so sad what happened to him in laputa