Ghibli Museum
The Ghibli Museum is a wonderful place to relive your childhood if you are Japanese and born in the last 40 years or so. Otherwise, you are probably a gaijin tourist there to defile this pristine shrine dedicated to the magical world of Miyazaki and oversized creepy-looking cat-raccoon creature things, as I was.
The museum is located about 15 minutes away from the JR Mitaka Station (三鷹駅) on the Chuo Line (中央線) by foot, a somewhat shorter period of time by bus (costing around 200 yen), and just a few nanoseconds for beings of pure energy.
The bus stop to wonderland
Incidentally, the Chuo Line is the same line you take from Shinjuku to get to Nakano Broadway, the de facto haven for otaku over the age of 30.
In order to ensure that some semblance of Ghibli magic is preserved, the museum employs a rather troublesome ticketing method that limits the number of people inside the premises at any time. Tickets must be purchased at least one month in advance and each ticket is assigned a time bracket on a certain date during which the person can enter the museum.
Foreigners looking to visit the museum should check the official website for ways to book the tickets through travel agents in their home countries, or get a friend in Japan to drop by a Lawson konbini and book the ticket using the Loppi ticketing machines.
One of the numerous Lawson outlets found on Toudai campus ground
The entrance ticket for Ghibli Museum costs 700 yen for age 13-18 and 1,000 yen for anything above.
The museum itself is rather small and uneventful. It’s definitely not for everyone. If you love Ghibli or if you can take the time to slow down your anticipations and savour a fantasy world that has been masterfully crafted down to the fantastic details, then the museum is for you. If you need excitement and constant titillation to have a good time, then Tokyo Disneyland (in Chiba) is what you want. Incidentally, I had fun at both places.
Upon entering the museum, you will be presented with an additional ticket which allows you to watch a short film in the museum cinema. The one I watched was a sequel-ish side story to Tonari no Totoro called Mei to Konekobasu (Mei and the Kitten Bus). The short film changes every month or two, and I’m not sure but I believe that they can be viewed only at the museum. Also, the movie ticket is pretty cool because it’s actually a framed film strip containing three consecutive frames from a random Ghibli production. Great souvenir.
My ticket from Lawson and my movie ticket
Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside the museum, so I can’t really give you a tour through the interesting displays. I guess that’s a good thing, since I personally hate spoilers, and the museum provides an experience akin to a mini fairytale.
That’s not to say I didn’t get any pictures at all. As usual, many valiant spies died in horrible ways to bring you some of these photos.
All hail our new stone golem overlords (life-size person bottom right)
For those of you wondering why the museum is located in such an out-of-the-way part of suburban Tokyo, far away from the usual tourist hangouts, I suggest you take the walking option over the bus ride. Mitaka is a rather pleasant town that won’t look out of place in a Ghibli production, except maybe for the lack of that pseudo-European touch.
And of course, don’t forget about the early booking system if you do plan to drop by and have a look for yourself.
On another note, Merry X’mas!
December 26th, 2008 at 12:31 am
lol so why is the museum located in such an out-of-the-way part of suburban Tokyo?
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December 26th, 2008 at 12:49 am
So this is Totoro’s neighborhood…
December 26th, 2008 at 3:09 am
I can say one thing, museum is not something that i like going.
December 26th, 2008 at 6:29 am
I’ve been there..its so awesome =DDDD
December 26th, 2008 at 7:59 am
I thought the 3-D stroboscopic (?) Totoro animation was pretty cool =D
December 26th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
The short film I watched when I went had only human voices for the audio and sound effects. It was very creative and interesting.
December 26th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Cool beans!
I keep missing the chance to visit the Ghibli museum because the tickets get sold out whenever I make an attempt to purchase one. :
But the garden looks awesome! It’s the kind which you don’t really want to leave~
December 26th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
They are still showing Mei and the Kitten Bus ? No new shorts ? :[
December 26th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Ooo, I’ve been there once.
I accidentally threw away my ticket afterwards though.. :’(
December 26th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
“Mei and the Kitten Bus”..nope…
been there this october ..
Quite fascinating seeing the studio museum…
Btw, no photos allow inside leh…
The duty personnels quite “on the ball”
So I bought the handbook…
December 27th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Oh god… I want to be there so badly…
December 29th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Felt like to come back to your blog once again.
Yea having to order the tickets in advance is unusual and perhaps annoying. I had to go to JAL to order and retrieve the tickets prior to the trip 2 years ago.
A lot of interesting things there if one likes Ghibli’s production. The stroboscopic effect thing is brill imo. On the other hand I remembering watching a short clip about a water spider, and a small exihibition featuring things used for Wallace & Gromit movie.
December 30th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I went there on Christmas and it’s really crowded. There was some sort of event in the afternoon but I had to leave early and didn’t know what was it. The museum is really interesting, too bad I missed the short film. I went to Disneyland the day before and was a bit disappointed without the fireworks.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
It’s a pity they don’t allow photos to be taken inside the museum. I especially love the movie making gallery! :D