Ghibli Park (ƒWƒuƒŠƒp[ƒN) is a theme park about the popular animated movies by Studio Ghibli. It opened in November 2022 just outside Nagoya, and unlike other theme parks does not feature any rides, but rather lets visitors delve into the atmospheric fantasy worlds presented in the various popular Ghibli movies.
The theme park currently consists of three areas, but two more areas are scheduled to be added in autumn 2023 and by spring 2024. The areas are not joined together, but found spread across the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, the former site of the 2005 World Expo.
Park tickets must be purchased far in advance for specific park areas. There is currently no pass that allows access to all three areas. Furthermore, the daily visitor limits are purposely set very low to provide visitors with a pleasant atmosphere, free of overcrowding. As a result, it can be expected that getting tickets will remain a big challenge for a long time to come. Perhaps the easiest way to visit is with a Klook tour from Tokyo that includes admission.
Take the Higashiyama Subway Line from central Nagoya to its terminal station, Fujigaoka (30 minutes, 290 yen, frequent departures). From Fujigaoka take the Linimo elevated train and get off at Aichikyuhaku Kinenkoen Station just in front of the north entrance gate of the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park (15 minutes, 340 yen, frequent departures).
Ghibli Park's three areas are spread across the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park. From the station, it is about a 15 minute walk to the Hill of Youth area, then a further 5 minutes to the Ghiblifs Grand Warehouse, and another 20 minutes to the Dondoko Forest.
How to get to and around Nagoya
Tickets are not sold at the park, but must be purchased in advance.
Ghibli Park separates ticket purchases into two channels: international purchases from outside of Japan and domestic purchases. International visitors should make their reservations via Lawson Ticket, while inside Japan tickets can be purchased via Boo-Woo Ticket and the Loppi machines at Lawson and Ministop convenience stores.
Tickets for an entire month go on sale three months in advance on the 10th of each month at 2pm, e.g. tickets for May 2023 went on sale on February 10, 2023. Tickets are sold on a first-come first-serve basis for specific time slots on specific dates.
There is currently no pass that allows visitors to see all areas of Ghibli Park. Instead, tickets are purchased for specific park areas. Tickets sold via the international sales channel are currently limited to tickets for the Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, and entry to the Dondoko Forest and Hill Of Youth is possible only with tickets sold via the domestic sales channels.
The following three ticket types are currently sold:
Some of the passes cost 500 yen more on weekends and national holidays than on weekdays. Children aged 4 to 12 years cost half.
An easier - and much more expensive - way of visiting the park than buying actual tickets can be joining a tour that includes admission to the park. Klook offers one such tour in a 2-day side trip from Tokyo.
The park is open from 10:00 to 17:00 (from 9:00 on weekends, national holidays and during school holidays). It is closed on Tuesdays (or the following day if Tuesday is a national holiday) except during school holidays. The park is also closed for several days over New Year.
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