Ghibli Museum

Located in Mitaka, a 15-minute walk through Inokashira Park from Kichijoji Station, or a short bus from Mitaka Station.

The museum is intentionally compact — plan ~2 hours, not a full day. Pair with a long park walk and Kichijoji’s shotengai for an easy half-day.

The museum is dedicated to the animation and art of Studio Ghibli, the studio behind Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Ponyo. Miyazaki designed the building himself — the layout is deliberately non-linear, with spiral staircases, hidden passages, and rooftop gardens that reward wandering rather than directed touring. The architecture references the organic, slightly overgrown aesthetic of the films; iron pipes, stained glass, and climbing plants throughout. The second floor houses rotating special exhibitions that change periodically, often focusing on specific aspects of the animation process or particular films.

The first floor exhibits the history and techniques of hand-drawn animation, with display cases showing how movement emerges from sequential cels. The in-house theater screens short films exclusive to the museum — these rotate and cannot be seen anywhere else, ever. Each visitor receives a film ticket (designed as an original film strip) upon entry. The life-sized Catbus in the children’s play area is one of the most sought-after photo moments in Japan, but photography is strictly forbidden inside the building. The roof garden holds a life-sized robot soldier from Castle in the Sky, standing among real plants — a moment that catches people off guard even when they know it is there. The museum cafe (Straw Hat Cafe) serves thematically appropriate food and is popular enough to have its own queue.

Tickets for a given month go on sale three months in advance, on the 1st of the month, via Lawson’s l-tike.com ticketing system. International visitors can also book through designated JTB travel agents — a voucher is issued with a specified entry date, exchangeable at the museum with passport. Within Japan, tickets are available through Lawson convenience stores via Loppi machines starting the 10th of the preceding month, with a specific entry date and time slot required at purchase. The 1,000 yen admission is fixed — but getting tickets at all is the challenge. Weekend and school holiday slots sell out fastest. The museum is closed Tuesdays.

Getting there: 15-minute walk from Kichijoji through Inokashira Park, or shuttle bus from Mitaka Station’s south exit (230 yen each way). Mitaka Station is on the JR Chuo Line, 15 minutes from Shinjuku (260 yen). A taxi from Mitaka Station runs about 750 yen. The park walk is the better approach.