Studio Ghibli offers new look into highly anticipated theme park ahead of November opening

Video reports inside the highly anticipated Studio Ghibli theme park in Japan circulated on social media after the park opened its doors to the media.

On Wednesday, Japanese media companies were invited to tour the highly anticipated theme park, offering looks into three different areas of the establishment.

Ghibli Park, which is located at Aichi Expo Memorial Park in Nagakute, Aichi, is inspired by the beloved films of Hayao Miyazaki and his animation studio. On Nov. 1, visitors can take a stroll around the theme park’s first attractions, including the Grand Warehouse, the Hill of Youth and Dondoko Forest.

Dondoko Forest features a recreation of the shrine and path from the 1988 film “My Neighbor Totoro.” It also includes a 17-foot-tall wooden Totoro playground statue, wherein five children can enter at a time.

The Hill of Youth, which is the gateway to the park, features an elevator tower inspired by several Ghibli films, including “Castle in the Sky” and “Howl’s Moving Castle.”

Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse is an indoor facility that houses a cinema, a cafe, shops and other immersive exhibits from the animation studio’s beloved films, including 14 sets from 13 Ghibli classics. The Cinema Orion will be showcasing 10 animated short films only shown in the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo.

The Valley of Witches, inspired by the 1989 film “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and Mononoke Village, inspired by 1997 film “Princess Mononoke,” are expected to open in 2023.

The theme park, which was built at a cost of 34 billion yen (approximately $232 million), expects an influx of 1.8 million visitors a year when all five areas of the park are open in 2023. Its annual economic impact is reportedly an estimated 48 billion yen (approximately $327 million).

Featured Image via Catsuka

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