Tourism Ghibli Park to open on 1 November

[thomas]

On 1 November, the first Ghibli Park in Japan will open within the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagakute near Nagoya. The theme park will be divided into five areas, spread over an approximately 7.1-hectare site: Hill of Youth, Ghibli's Large Warehouse, Mononoke's Village, Valley of Witches and Dondoko Forest., all based on locations of the studio's most famous movies.

The Aichi Tourism Bureau released the following trailer:

​

Last Tuesday, Ghibli Park was presented to the media. Here are a few impressions:

Photo credit: Kisa Toyoshima 中央階段

Photo credit: Studio Ghibli (Mainichi/Koji Hyodo)
​

Film director Goro Miyazaki, who is overseeing the theme park's development, revealed to the press that the idea of the park came about when his father Hayao, a legendary animation director, said in 2013 that he was retiring from making feature films. Goro said the decision to build the park was motivated by a desire to "preserve Ghibli's works for future generations so that they would not be forgotten." However, he quipped that he felt somewhat shortchanged after Hayao came back from retirement, drawing laughter from those attending. Opening in November are "Ghibli's Grand Warehouse," which will be the main area; "Hill of Youth," which includes a reproduction of an antique store from the movie "Whisper of the Heart"; and "Dondoko Forest," which is inspired by the Showa period landscape depicted in movie "My Neighbor Totoro." There are also exhibits related to famous scenes from Ghibli films, such as Yubaba's office from "Spirited Away" and the garden with the towering Robot Soldier from "Castle in the Sky."

Ghibli Park in central Japan offers peek to media ahead of Nov. 1 opening - The Mainichi

NAGAKUTE, Aichi -- Three areas of the new Studio Ghibli Inc. theme park, including depictions from popular films including

mainichi.jp

Ghibli Park prepares to come to life in Nov. 1 opening in Aichi | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Link:

GHIBLI PARK

Ghibli Park is a park that represents the world of Studio Ghibli, and the five areas are spread out across the massive grounds of Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park (Moricoro Park).

ghibli-park.jp

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Looks better than Disney.

 

[Petaris]

I am looking forward to seeing it. We will have to make a plan to go during one of our trips back to Japan.

 

[thomas]

With visitors to Ghibli Park required to purchase their tickets in advance for a specific day and time (just like at the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo), acquiring tickets from overseas has proven to be quite challenging for international tourists. This week, Ghibli Park launched an English-language reservation system for international tickets.

International Tickets for October 2023｜GHIBLI PARK

Find information about ”International Tickets” at Ghibli Park. International ticket sales will be a gradual rollout.

ghibli-park.jp

The international ticket system does not cover all options available on the Japanese-language page but will be expanded gradually. All tickets are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. With a low attendance capacity, the next ticket batch will be available in mid-March 2023.

 

[Lothor]

I'm not normally into theme parks, but that looks very classy! I liked the promotional video - not a single yuru-chara or a patronising voiceover anywhere!.

 

[thomas]

I'm not normally into theme parks, but that looks very classy! I liked the promotional video - not a single yuru-chara or a patronising voiceover anywhere!.

I totally agree! I haven't been to Disneyland in almond two decades but this one's on the shortlist.

Whoever's first has to write an article!

 

[Lothor]

In almond two decades?!

 

[thomas]

Haha, typing on the iPhone…… while eating my "christmas cake" at the in-laws.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I heard our spy base in Fukuoka/Hakata was turned into an amusement park(around 1974?). It was next to a town called Saitozaki. Can anyone find pictures of the park or confirm it was converted?

 

[mdchachi]

I heard our spy base in Fukuoka/Hakata was turned into an amusement park(around 1974?). It was next to a town called Saitozaki. Can anyone find pictures of the park or confirm it was converted?

Was it called Camp Brady?
Looks like there is a zoo and aquarium there now.

Saitozaki · Higashi Ward, Fukuoka, 811-0321, Japan

Higashi Ward, Fukuoka, 811-0321, Japan

goo.gl

I also found this. Interestingly there is some nostalgia for those days.

The SAITOZAKI "Americanization" Revival Project
This project was created with the mission of recreating the historic Little America of Saitozaki. Saitozaki is an area which once housed a US military base and was visited by the famous Marilyn Monroe herself. This project includes an artistic recreation of the area's American cultural influence of years past via artwork on display in ten different locations throughout town, all filled with plenty of American flair, including depictions of the US flag, Marilyn Monroe, and more!

Camp Hakata – A Historic Shopping District Gets an Artistic Makeover | Feel Fukuoka Japan

feelfukuoka.com

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I would say that's our old base. Looks like none of the old base remains. In WWII , it was a Japanese seaplane base and it had all these cement ramps leading in and out of the water to big hangers. There were about 50 tall antennas and even a small golf course on our base. Saitozaki was in walking distance of the back gate of the base. Back then 70-72 it was a bar town with a taxi company and ferry boat terminal and several homes. My HFDF direction finding station was about 3 miles down the road that went into Fukuoka. Almost all the buildings on the base were left over from the original Japanese seaplane base. The inside of the dorm where I first stayed looked like it had not changed at all from the 1940's. When they offered to pay me an extra $80 US to live off the then overcrowded base , I jumped at the chance. I left in 1972 and I believe they closed it down later that same year. After I had been on Adak Island 6 monthes , I was allowed a weeks leave to return to Fukuoka to visit my girlfriend. I took a taxi to the closed base and hopped the fence to walk around. About 30 minutes later a Japanese patrol jeep found me and didn't know what to do with me , LOL. They made several phone calls and someone told them to just put me in a taxi back to town. The one thing I will never forget was the largest hanger building where they took me had hundreds of stoves and refrigerators stored there just rusting away after being removed from the base housing. Seeing all the empty building with grass 2 feet high on the lawns was kind of a cool trip to a ghost town. Hopefully people are enjoying the bases replacement.

 

[thomas]

So, has anyone been to Ghibli Park yet?

An interesting detail for all Miyazaki fans is that from March 2024, the park will use Toyota's five all-electric 'Catbuses' to shuttle visitors between attractions.

Studio Ghibli showcased a prototype of the all-electric Catbus vehicle during a recent press conference at Aichi prefecture's main government office. In addition to a driver, the vehicle will seat five passengers arranged in two rows. Toyota Motor is producing the Catbus vehicle, with a mechanical design based on its low-speed Accessible People Mover. Five Catbus vehicles will be introduced at the theme park in March 2024 to ferry visitors between attractions. [...] According to Goro Miyazaki, the elder Miyazaki was pleased to hear about the real-world Catbus, who added that his father had readily taken on the job of drawing artwork to appear on the Catbus tickets.

Paywall alert:

Japan's Ghibli Park to feature all-electric 'Catbus' made by Toyota

Five buses to transport visitors between attractions from March 2024

asia.nikkei.com

 

[thomas]

Ghibli Park will "fully open" next Saturday, with the park's fifth and final "Valley of Witches" area opening its gates to the general public. According to Mainichi, "Disneyland-level" fees are baffling some people.

Guchokipanya Bakery," where "Kiki's Delivery Service" heroine Kiki lives, is seen in the new "Valley of Witches" area at Ghibli Park in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, on Feb. 28, 2024. (Mainichi/Koji Hyodo)​

For example, if a family of two parents and two elementary school-aged children visit the park on a holiday with an "O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium," tickets alone would cost a total of 23,400 JPY (about USD160). In addition, if all four grilled their own Gohei-mochi snacks (1,200 JPY, or roughly USD8) and rode the Carousel (an additional 1,000 JPY for adults and 500 JPY for children) plus the "Flying Machine" (another 500 JPY), the family's total outlays would hit 33,200 JPY (approx. USD226). The same family of four visiting Tokyo Disney Resort would pay a very similar 33,000 JPY (approx. USD224) for one-day passes (10,900 JPY for adults and 5,600 JPY for elementary school children) on the most expensive date.

Ghibli Park in central Japan to fully open on March 16 with 'Disneyland-level' fees - The Mainichi

NAGAKUTE, Aichi -- Every zone of Ghibli Park, a theme park here based on the famed anime films of Studio Ghibli, will finally be open on March 16, tho

mainichi.jp

 

[nice gaijin]

I have a friend who just left for Japan with his partner, they're going to Hokkaido for a little skiing and are going to the park on opening day! I'll ask him for a review when he returns, he said his partner is a big Ghibli fan.

 

[Petaris]

I would love to see this park but it really looks like it would be an expensive ordeal. Are they still requiring reservations with the need to reserve months in advance?

 

[thomas]

I would love to see this park but it really looks like it would be an expensive ordeal. Are they still requiring reservations with the need to reserve months in advance?

Yes, you can now reserve for May 2024:

International Tickets｜GHIBLI PARK

ghibli-park.jp

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Normally I would't pay such high prices for a theme park, but for this I'd make an exception. But if I ever make it back to Japan, I have so many places I'd like to go, I dunno. I guess I can put this on the list, at any rate.

 

[mdchachi]

I have a friend who just left for Japan with his partner, they're going to Hokkaido for a little skiing and are going to the park on opening day! I'll ask him for a review when he returns, he said his partner is a big Ghibli fan.

We're planning a family trip to Japan this year. Luckily my wife has no interest in visiting this.