Studio Ghibli is the world famous Japanese animation studio behind classic films like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service and many more. If you’re a fan of any of Studio Ghibli’s work and planning a trip to Tokyo, then you need to visit Ghibli Museum. It’s truly an incredible experience that’s worth the cost and so much more. *This article was written by my husband (fiance at the time).
Studio Ghibli Museum
Ever since I moved to Japan, Ghibli Museum was high on my list of places to visit. But it’s a little more difficult to accomplish that goal than most other attractions in Tokyo. Tickets are limited and highly sought after. My fiance and I spent months trying to get tickets so I know how frustrating it can be. But now having gone through that process ourselves, I’ll explain the best and easiest ways to buy them along with a detailed account of what to expect once inside.
How to buy tickets?
Depending on if you are inside or outside of Japan, buying tickets is a little bit different. I’ll explain each way below. But before that, let’s look at some general information on Ghibli Museum tickets.
- Tickets must be purchased for a specific date and time and may only be used at that exact date and time.
- Tickets for the following month go on sale on the 10th day of every previous month at 10am Japan time. For example, if you want to purchase tickets for June 20th, they will be available for purchase on May 10th.
- Ticket cost 1,000 yen or about $10 USD for one adult ticket.
- Museum hours: 10:00am-18:00pm (closed Tuesdays).
Outside of Japan
As tickets sell out quickly every month, it’s almost impossible to purchase them on short notice while you’re on vacation in Japan. So I recommend purchasing them online in advance. If you live outside of Japan you can purchase tickets here https://l-tike.com/st1/ghibli-en/sitetop. This link will also show you more detailed information such as full spectrum ticket prices, admission dates and times, what you will need, and how to purchase tickets .
Inside Japan
If you live in Japan, or are on a lengthy stay here, then you can go to any Lawson convenience store (konbini) and purchase tickets at the Loppi kiosk. Lawson’s are on nearly every street and street corner in Japan, so they are easy to find. Loppi kiosks are usually located in the front or back of the store. The following link provides step by step instructions of how the ticket purchasing process works for the Loppi kiosk https://www.lawson.co.jp/ghibli_museum/english.html. Loppi kiosks are only operable in Japanese. However, if you follow the instructions provided in the link above it’s very simple. Push the same buttons as shown in the pictures and you’ll be just fine. I’ve used them without knowing much Japanese in the past and they’re not too difficult to navigate. If you are uncomfortable doing this by yourself, you can always ask a Lawson staff member and they will help you. After you finish finalizing your information and have reserved a date and time, the machine will print a receipt. Take the receipt to the cashier in Lawson. That is where you will pay and where you will receive the actual ticket(s).
More ticket info:
The website and Loppi kiosks are pretty easy to use, but make sure you look over the instructions for whichever method you use and become familiar with the process, as it will cut out any confusion when it’s time to actually buy them. Also, know what day and time you’ll want to reserve so that you’ll be able to navigate the site as quickly as possible. It’s also a good idea to have a couple other dates and times in mind as your first choice may already be sold out. Your best chance to get tickets is to be on the website or at the Loppi kiosk ready to buy the tickets right at 10am Japan time the day they go on sale. Expect the website to be very slow as many other people are trying to buy them at the same time. But be patient. Just keep pushing your way through the process and eventually you’ll get through and you’ll have your tickets to Ghibli Museum. It only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.
http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/tickets/
When to go?
Most of Ghibli Museum is inside, the robot from Castle in the Sky being the only exhibit outside, so don’t worry too much about hot, cold, or rainy weather. It was raining when we went and I don’t think it made the experience any less amazing. The museum isn’t only popular for tourists, many Japanese people also love going there. So try to avoid weekends and major Japanese holidays like Golden Week (usually the 1st week in May) and summer vacation (usually in August). I recommend getting tickets reserved for entry in the morning, as there is no set time you need to leave the museum other than the official closing time at 18:00.
Access – How to get there?
Ghibli Museum is located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western city in Tokyo. From Shinjuku Station (a main hub for many lines) you can take the Chuo Line (orange) platform 12 to Mitaka Station. There are 7 stops and it takes 12 minutes to get there. From Mitaka you can either walk or take the Ghibli Bus. Take the south exit of Mitaka station and you’ll see the Ghibli Bus, parked at the number 9 bus stop, very easily as it’s covered in Ghibli artwork. The journey takes 5 minutes by bus. When we went we decided to walk. It’s just a short 15-20 minutes through a quiet neighborhood and I would recommend going that way. There are signs (pictured below) all along the route showing the way. Once you reach Inokashira Park turn right and follow the sidewalk. Along on the left side are tennis courts. At the end of the tennis courts, Ghibli awaits! It’s impossible to get lost.
Ghibli Museum Address: 1 Chome-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0013
Google Maps is a life saver in Japan. You can navigate strictly through that and you’ll very rarely get lost. Copy the address above into Google Maps and it will tell you which trains to take and which exits to go in and out of. It will even tell you what time the train will be there and how much the fare will cost. If you are coming to Japan on vacation, I’d also recommend renting a pocket wifi. They are pretty cheap and nice to have. There are many different companies that offer them, but I’ve used Ninja Wifi in the past. https://ninjawifi.com/en/ . (not sponsored)
Explore Studio Ghibli Museum
The first thing you’ll see as you come up on the museum, is a giant Totoro!
Continue the path from there to the entrance of the museum. You’ll want to line up about 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time. Please remember to have your tickets as well as passport or Japanese ID card ready to show the staff at the entrance. Also, there is no photography or video recording of any kind allowed inside the museum so you should store any cameras inside your bag. Pro tip; rules are strictly adhered to in Japan, so please respect them. Once inside you’ll exchange your regular boring paper ticket for a unique Ghibli ticket. The ticket is made with a replica film strip from one of the many Ghibli films. Try to figure out which scene and movie your ticket is from. Everyone’s ticket is different. Can you guess which movie this is from?
From there you are free to go wherever you’d like! There are 3 levels and the rooftop to explore. There are many different things to see and be amazed by. Pay attention to everything! There are small nods and easter eggs everywhere, even within the architecture! One of the highlights is all of the original artwork from the films. Most of the exhibits are centered on the more famous works from Hayao Miyazaki, but there are also some niche Studio Ghibli pieces as well.
Make sure you find the spiral staircase on the third floor outside that leads to the rooftop and see the giant robot from Castle in the Sky. Since this area of the museum is outside, you are free to take as many pictures as you’d like!
Make sure to take your time and slowly explore every corner. I felt the mystical wonder of a childhood once had through my old adult eyes as I made my way through the small doors, staircases, and hallways of this magical place!
Saturn Theater
My favorite part of the entire museum is the Saturn Theater where they show one of nine Ghibli Museum exclusive short films only viewable in the museum. Don’t loose your unique entrance ticket you get upon entering the museum, as it is your entrance into the Saturn Theater as well. Don’t worry, you’ll get the ticket back after they check it! When we visited Ghibli Museum the film they were showing was The Day I Harvested a Planet. I absolutely love space and so I thought that this film was fantastic! It is such a different kind of story than I’m used to Ghibli telling. The short films are shown in Japanese only with Japanese subtitles. But, even if you don’t speak Japanese, I think you can enjoy the short films anyway.
Cat Bus Room
The Cat Bus Room is a children’s play area with a giant plush Cat Bus, from the movie My Neighbor Totoro, for the children to play in and around. If you have small children then it’s a great place to take them. Adults aren’t allowed to play and I feel a certain level of sadness in that…lol
Gift Shop
Mama Aiuto is Ghibli Museum’s gift shop. The gift shop is quite large and has all kinds of collectibles, shirts, dvd’s, and various tchotchke’s. Prices range from $5 to $100’s. The quality of products are quite good as can be expected from a Japanese company. You can spend quite a bit of money, but there will be no buyer’s remorse here. If you’ve ever been to any of the Donguri shops here in Japan, then you can expect about the same kind of thing, with a bit more to offer.
*If you can’t make it to Ghibli Museum but still want a taste of Ghibli, check out Donguri!
https://www.kanpai-japan.com/travel-guide/donguri-official-ghibli-shops
Cafe’s & Food
There are two places to eat at Ghibli Museum. The Straw Hat Cafe (麦わらぼうし) and a small hot dog & ice cream stand. The Straw Hat Cafe serves food like pasta, soup, sandwiches, and desserts. It is very popular and will likely be busy by the time you get to that point of the museum. If eating at this cafe is high on your list of things to do, then I recommend going there first thing or around the cafe opening @ 11am. The line was quite long when we got there. If you are lucky or have enough patience, it is worth it to eat at the cafe. The decor is very cute and feels like you’re a background character in your favorite Ghibli film.
Review of My experience…
I highly recommend visiting Ghibli Museum if you have the opportunity. It’s a place for people of all ages and something you won’t soon forget! The price of admission alone should be enough to get you in the door. Even if you aren’t a super-fan of Ghibli or you’ve only seen one or two films, the experience will be worth it. I guarantee it will make you want to watch more of them.
And if you are a super-fan…then this is the mecca right?
So book that date with Totoro and head to Ghibli Museum!
