Mitaka no Mori Ghibli Museum

The Ghibli Museum, Mitaka is a museum where visitors can experience the world of Studio Ghibli, located in the western area of Inokashira Park in Mitaka City, Tokyo. It takes about 15 minutes on foot from the south exit of JR Mitaka Station along the Tamagawa Josui canal. Opened in 2001 under the planning and supervision of director Hayao Miyazaki, the museum is designed as a maze-like, free-flowing space with the catchphrase, “Let’s get lost together.”

As soon as you enter, the first thing that catches your eye is the central hall, which extends from the basement level to the second floor in a large atrium. With a spiral staircase and bridges suspended overhead, and a glass dome ceiling decorated with a yellow whale swimming in the sea and Ponyo, you feel as if you have stepped into the world of a Ghibli film.

In the permanent exhibition room, “Where a Film Is Born (Tonkoro),” a space modeled after an animation production site unfolds before you. Sketches, reference materials, and small props are densely arranged on worktables, creating an atmosphere so vivid it feels as though the creators are still there. You can visually learn how animation is made.

In the basement-level screening room, “Saturn Theater,” original short animations created exclusively for the Ghibli Museum are shown. The films change depending on the season, and each runs for about 15 minutes, making them enjoyable even for small children. The projection room has glass walls, allowing visitors to watch the film reels in motion.

On the second floor is the popular “Catbus Room,” especially loved by children. Only elementary school children and younger are allowed to actually ride the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro, but its soft, fluffy texture is delightfully captivating.

On the rooftop, reached by the spiral staircase, stands a large statue of the Robot Soldier from Castle in the Sky. Serving as the museum’s guardian deity, the Robot Soldier watches over visitors, while a lush rooftop garden spreads around it. This space, blended with nature, is also filled with the healing charm and wonder characteristic of Ghibli works.

There are many other attractions and ways to enjoy the museum as well, including “Tri Hawks,” a reading room where picture books and children’s books can be freely browsed; “Mamma Aiuto,” the museum shop offering exclusive goods; and “Straw Hat,” a café where you can enjoy homemade dishes made with organic vegetables.

The Ghibli Museum, Mitaka offers an experience like walking through an entire film. It is a place where both adults and children can freely lose themselves and enjoy the world of Ghibli with all five senses.